Private ports operator APM Terminal Pipavav is looking to capitalise its strength in the liquified petroleum gas (LPG) and automobile cargo for the faster growth of its operations at Pipavav in Gujarat.

The port operator has reported sustained growth in the container cargo volumes at 2,38,000 TEUs, which was recorded at 1,95,000 TEUs in the first quarter of 2018-19. The company attributed the growth to new service additions of coastal and transshipment volumes.

Keld Pedersen, Managing Director, believes that growth in port operations will be driven by the rise in LPG and automobile cargo businesses.

“We are very keen on seeing exports grow. Car manufacturing in India goes hand-in-hand with our port operations. We are the preferred port for many of the auto OEMs. The outlook for automobile exports is bright and we are optimistic of sustained growth in this segment,” Pedersen told BusinessLine .

“We have achieved a record of roughly 2,00,000 TEUs of container business in the last two quarters. Going forward, automobile and LPG will drive the growth,” he added.

LPG cargo has about 70 per cent share in the overall liquid cargo volumes of 1 million tonnes recorded last year.

“It is said to have a great outlook for the next decade. LPG will grow because of more areas can be covered going forward. We are very optimistic about that part of the business,” he said.

For the quarter ended September 2018, APM Terminals’ bulk business stood at 5,32,000 MT, and liquid business stood at 93,000 tonnes. The RoRo (roll-on roll-off) business handled about 22,000 cars for the second quarter. APM Terminals Pipavav currently has a capacity to handle up to 1.35 million TEUs of containers, besides 4-5 million tonnes of dry bulk cargo, 2 million tonnes of liquid cargo and about 2,50,000 cars per year.

Of the five berths at the port, there is one dedicated LPG berth with a draught of 11.5 metres with length overall (LOA) of 170 metres for LPG tankers. For container vessels of up to LOA of 335 metres, there is another berth with draught of 14.5 metres and for bulk carriers of up to LOA of 240 metres the berths have draught of 13.5 metres.

Pendersen ruled out the possibility of any further capex or new business addition being worked out. “We are always evaluating new opportunities. But for now, we don’t have any plans other than to continue what we do,” he said.

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