Costa Rica: Court Rules in Favor of New TCM

The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the Costa Rican Government and APM Terminals in an appeal filed by the port workers union against the 33-year concession contract for the new Moin Container Terminal (TCM) in Limon on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.

For Paul Gallie, Managing Director of APM Terminals for Central America, “the new Moin Container Terminal is a project of the Costa Rican State which will promote the country´s global competitiveness and the socioeconomic development of the province of Limón, which is why this verdict motivates us and strengthens our confidence in the judicial system.”

“The TCM will be a world class, modern, safe and efficient terminal operating under international standards and procedures, designed to boost Costa Rica´s international trade by taking full advantage of the economy of scale provided by the new-Panamax container vessels of up to 13,500 containers, vessels of up to five times larger than those which can be serviced in the country today,” Gallie said.

APM Terminals was contracted by the State and port authority, JAPDEVA, for the design, finance, construction, operation and maintenance of the new Moin Container Terminal. This project, which is designed with a surface area of 80 hectares, 500 m off the coast of Moin, 1500 m of berth, 9 STS gantry cranes and 39 yard cranes, in addition to a 2.2 km breakwater, allowing 24 hours / 7 days a week / 365 days a year operation, will be wholly owned by the State of Costa Rica.

The TCM is a key component of JAPDEVA’s master plan to modernize the Caribbean port complex of Limon/Moin, including a cruise ship terminal, a general cargo terminal in addition to the expansion of the petroleum terminal managed by RECOPE, the latter already underway.

In September, APM Terminals delivered to the environmental agency, SETENA, the final extensive information annex requested by the institution in order to complete the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment process. SETENA’s final ruling is expected by the end of October.

“We are very pleased with the quality and detail of information delivered to Setena, based on our experience and track record of APM Terminals at the international level, which allows us to run successfully and sustainably these important infrastructure projects,” said Gallie.

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Press Release, October 14, 2014