APM Terminals may buy container loading facility on eastern coast.

Global container port operator APM Terminals Management BV is weighing options to buy one of the two container loading facilities located at Krishnapatnam port in Andhra Pradesh and Kattupalli port in Tamil Nadu as it looks to build a presence on India's eastern seaboard.

APM Terminals, the container terminal operating unit of Danish shipping and oil conglomerate AP Moller-Maersk Group A/S, could take a decision by as early as end July, at least two persons familiar with the development said, asking not to be named because the plan has not been made public yet. The persons cited above are not part of APM Terminals or its parent company.

APM Terminals has for long nursed ambitions to enter India's eastern coast, where rivals such as PSA International Pte Ltd., DP World Ltd and Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd. (APSEZ) have or are setting up container terminals. PSA and DP World run separate container terminals at Union government-owned Chennai port. APSEZ is building a container loading facility at Ennore port near Chennai, also owned by the Union government.

LIVEMINT