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Mamuni Das

New Delhi, April 14

Rickmers Line, the German shipping major which specialises in global transportation of break bulk, heavylift and project cargo, is eyeing acquisitions of warehouses and road transport firms with trucks and trailers in India. It also wants to get into break-bulk terminal handling in ports along with partners.

This would help Rickmers — which handlesfive lakh tonnes of cargo in India annually comprising steel coils, power generators, cranes and excavation equipment — get a pie of port handling and hinterland connectivity business.

“We are considering picking up stakes in players operating in warehouses, truck and trailer space,” Mr Jan Boje Steffens, Managing Partner and CEO, Rickmers Holding, told Business Line recently on the sidelines of a conference. He, however, declined to share any further details.

On break-bulk terminal handling, Mr Steffens said the company would like to enter into partnership with other firms just like it did in Antwerp.

In October 2007, Rickmers Line entered into a joint venture (20 per cent equity) with DP World Antwerp (60 per cent) and Conti Lines (20 per cent) to operate a common user general cargo terminal in the Port of Antwerp.

Indian ports need immediate investment and capacity for the break-bulk segment, he said and pointed towards the need for more skilled and qualified manpower.

“With India, China and Brazil witnessing high level of infrastructure projects, there will be a large project cargo movement. This will result in high the demand for break-bulk cargo,” Mr Steffens said.

Pointing out that each call to Indian ports lasted seven days on an average, Mr Steffens said, “Ideally, each call should not exceed five days on an average. Because of the extra two days, the company lost $2.1 million annually only on charter expense.”

Demand for multi-purpose vessels has gone up significantly in the last few years. “In 2004, there were 176 multipurpose ships. Now, there are 770 multipurpose ships, Mr Steffens said.

Rickmers Line has ordered ten new purpose-built multipurpose vessels. The delivery of these vessels, which will be built in China, will start from 2009, and some of these are expected to enter the Europe toWest Asia/India trade.

Rickmers Chennai, a multipurpose heavylift vessel of breakbulk, heavylift and project cargo, have already done over 200 voyages to West Asia and India.

The main loading ports are Antwerp, Hamburg and Genoa, while Dammam, Ras Laffan, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Mumbai and Chennai are main discharge ports.

Since 2006, Rickmers-Line has also been offering westbound voyages from India via the West Asia to Europe, a service experiencing steadily increasing freight volumes.

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