Court Clears Way for APM Terminals’ Costa Rica Project

The Supreme Court of Costa Rica 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.

The deals has been in court for almost three years after workers filed an appeal against it in 2011.

Paul Gallie, Managing Director of APM Terminals for Central America, said that “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.”

According to Gallie the TCM will be available to take 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.

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.