Maersk-owned global port and terminal operator APM Terminals and Aqaba Development Cooperation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a 15-year extension of their partnership in the Aqaba Container Terminal (ACT) in Jordan.
According to the deal signed last week, the two partners will invest US$242 million in the box terminal to maintain its strong position in the Levant region and accelerate net zero plans of ACT.
At a forum following the signing, Keith Svendsen, CEO of APM Terminals, introduced the key aspects of the company’s future vision for the Aqaba port, which include decarbonisation plans, the modernisation and expansion of ACT, the development of a training center for individuals working in the maritime and logistics sectors, and ongoing support for Jordan's goal of becoming an export hub for green energy.
“To reinforce our long-term commitment to Aqaba and to Jordan’s 2030 Economic Modernization Vision, we have developed a meticulous plan for enhancing Aqaba’s competitiveness both regionally and globally including a net zero emission target for 2040 - the only port in the region with such,” he said.
According to a recent announcement, on-site solar will completely eliminate the terminal’s carbon footprint and the zero-carbon terminal will become the heart of Aqaba’s future logistics eco system.
In addition, relocating customs closer to the port is expected to optimise clearance processes and directly connect to Aqaba Logistics Village where increasing trade opportunities will reach the wider economy.
"Bringing together agents and shippers will also ensure faster goods distribution," pointed out APM Terminals.
APM Terminals also aims to develop a Centre of Excellence for the logistics and maritime industry, which will improve the skills of the sector’s current and future professionals.
On the afternoon of October 1, at the meeting on the socio-economic situation in the first 9 months of 2024, the Department of Planning and Investment of Ho Chi Minh City said that many economic indicators have grown steadily. Notably, export turnover is on a recovery trend and has grown.
In the first eight months of 2024, Vietnam earned nearly VND 4 trillion from tea exports, surpassing the total export revenue of last year.
Australia has made another stride in its agriculture sector by announcing an agreement to export plums to Vietnam in the near future, in addition to the current exports of peaches and nectarines. This project is part of a two-way agricultural market access agreement aimed at providing Australian plums to Vietnam and Vietnamese passion fruit to Australia.
On November 14, 2024, the forum "Da Nang Free Trade Zone – A New Driving Force for the Development of the City’s Logistics Industry" successfully took place, attracting dozens of domestic and international enterprises.
On the morning of November 2, 2024, in response to an invitation from the Board of Directors of FPT University Can Tho, Glotrans HCM joined the 2024 Job Fair and Enterprise Connection Day to network with the university’s leaders and interact with the attending students.
On October 29, according to information from the Vietnam Trade Office in the Philippines (Ministry of Industry and Trade), total bilateral trade between Vietnam and the Philippines reached nearly USD 6.5 billion in the first nine months of 2024, marking an increase of over 20% compared to the same period last year.**
