DP World opens new Cochin terminal in India

The new terminal is a public-private partnership between DP World and the Government of India, with Container Corporation of India (Concor), Transworld and Chakiat also strategic partners in the venture.

The largest single operator container facility in the country and to be operated as DP World Cochin, the terminal was built at a cost (including other infrastructure facilities such as road and rail connections) of more than US$600m. The intention was for container handling will now move entirely to DP World Cochin from the nearby Rajiv Gandhi Terminal (RGCT) in the coming weeks.

However, due to a dispute with RGCT dock workers fearful of job losses, the transfer of coastal traffic has been put back by the High Court for three months while the grievances are investigated. The handling of import and export containers is not affected by the ruling and the eventual intention is for the older facility to be converted by the Cochin Port Trust to handle greater volumes of non-containerised bulk cargo.