The deepwater pier is expected to be fully completed by February 2019, APM Terminals said in a statement.
The first vessel to arrive at the port was the 3,947-teu Polar Mexico arrived from Panama with a load of bananas and pineapples from Del Monte and Fyffes companies, destined to North Europe. Meanwhile, Cap Beatrice arrived at port with 2,500 empty refrigerated containers last Saturday morning to leave at around 10pm local time with Costa Rican fruit.
"Thanks to Moin Container Terminal (TCM) we will no longer be a port for small vessels that require the merchandise to be transhipped to reach its final destination, but a port that can receive the largest container ships currently with direct connections and links reliable intermodal to key markets,” said APM Terminals CEO Kenneth Waugh.
The National Council of Concessions of Costa Rica gave authorisation for the first calls at the terminal. The number of vessels served will gradually increase until February 2019, when the project will be completed and the TMC will officially open, said APM Terminals.
The permit, which is subject to comply with all safety and service requirements, will allow the transfer of all commercial container vessels currently in service in Puerto Limón and Puerto Moín to TCM. This will take place once APM Terminals delivers the first phase of the dock that includes two moorings and 40 hectares of artificial islands that will be inaugurated in February 2019.
"The authorization of CNC to start receiving commercial vessels represents a significant change in the logistics of maritime cargo handling in Costa Rica and a great leap towards the improvement of national competitiveness,” said Waugh.
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