Port Elizabeth Expansion

APM Terminals Port Elizabeth, part of the Port of New York and New Jersey port complex, will expand its annual container throughput capacity from 1.5 million TEUs to 2.3 million TEUs, upgrading 2,500 feet (760 meters) of deep-water quay, with a $70 million infrastructure investment in the East Coast’s primary container hub.

The current The Port of NY & NJ is the largest port on the US East Coast and second-busiest container port complex in the United States, after the Los Angeles/Long Beach complex in Southern California, with 6.37 million TEUs handled in 2015, representing a 10.4% growth rate over the previous year. The Port Authority of NY & NJ has committed to a ten year, agency-wide capital investment campaign for transportation infrastructure to accommodate project growth for the port, which handles an estimated $200 billion in goods annually.   “We are an infrastructure leader and our investment in Port Elizabeth will ensure a state-of-the-art port that serves as a business generator between the United States and other economies.  We have developed strong relationships with clients, the port community and business leaders necessary to confidently expand our presence and invest for the future,” said APM Terminals CEO Kim Fejfer.

Wim Lagaay, President of APM Terminals North America added, “We applaud the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Port Department who have been instrumental in deepening the harbor, heightening the Bayonne Bridge and listening to the changing needs of terminal operators and customers. We have shared our vision to create a container terminal capable of ushering in the new era of ultra-large container vessels and to serve more sophisticated customer needs. Our investment in a new berth capable of handling 13,000 TEU vessels will help Port Elizabeth become even more competitive and represents the first in a series of modernization initiatives to ensure our end user experience is truly industry-leading.”   

Molly Campbell, Director of the Port Department for the Port Authority of NY & NJ stated: “APM Terminals is an important service provider at the Port of New York and New Jersey. As one of the original container terminal operators at our Port we welcome APM Terminals continued investment in order to ensure that we remain a key gateway for the next generation of cargo ships. Modernizing our port infrastructure is critical to our regional economy’s continued competitiveness.”

APM Terminals will issue a private tender for construction of the berth in the fall of 2016.