Wallenius Wilhelmsen ASA, the world’s largest provider of vehicle and ro-ro (roll-on, roll-off cargo) transportation services, expects a 10-20 percent rise in cargo moved through Singapore this year from the 650,000 tonnes handled last year, boosted by growth in vehicle exports from the region.
“We see exports coming out of Thailand and Indonesia as they are the two major production bases in Southeast Asia and we believe the volumes will materialise on a large scale in 2004-2005,” said Anders Boman, Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s president for Asian region.
His expectation is in line with that of Ng Chee Keong, president and chief executive officer of Singapore’s state-owned PSA Corp Ltd., which operates the world’s largest transshipment hub.
Speaking after announcing a three-year terminal service agreement with the Norwegian shipping group, Ng said he saw potential for growth in non-containerised cargo such as ro-ro cargo.
“The car handling business, for example, is extremely robust in Thailand and the region,” he said, adding that PSA has handled 400,000 vehicles last year and expects this figure to rise this year.
PSA said it planned to expand its wharf facilities with additional land and storage space for vehicle handling.
