The power of partnership: fuelling growth and innovation together

In a year that has seen APM Terminals ramp up its growth ambitions across the world, from Morocco to Oman, Brazil to Egypt, Rotterdam to Rijeka, and beyond, one thing was clear: becoming the best terminal operator in the world means collaborating with best-in-class suppliers, contractors, manufacturers and partners.

According to Xavier Ametller, Head of Civil Asset Category Management with APM Terminals, successful and sustainable collaboration is key to turning strategy into reality. “As a company, our ambitions are big and fulfilling them rests in large part on our exceptional Civil Category team.”

Civil asset category management is a method used by governments or public agencies to organise, maintain and optimise their physical assets – such as roads, bridges, buildings, vehicles, and parks – by grouping similar assets into categories. Each category is managed strategically to ensure assets last longer, are cost-effective to maintain and perform better. This helps governments plan better and ensures that public assets provide the best value to the community over their lifetime.

In 2024, the team delivered on major initiatives that included expansion projects in APM Terminals Tangier in Morocco, Maasvlakte II (MVII) in the Netherlands, the Port of Salalah in Oman, APM Terminals Suape in Brazil and the Suez Canal Container Terminal (SCCT) in Egypt, to name a few.

Collaborative ethos

Perhaps more than in any other team at APM Terminals globally, the civil category team relies on high standards of collaboration. “It is our intention to be a ‘best in class’ client,” says Ametller. 

A prime example of this was the acceptance of proposals with deviations during the bidding process for the construction of a liquid jetty at APM Terminals Pipavav in the Gujarat province in India last year. M. Kumaran, Segment Head, Marine & Intake Structures from L&T Geostructure (LTGS), says: “What we appreciated from the beginning was the openness and transparency, and how APM Terminals allowed bidders to submit their proposals with deviations – provided these were supported by a clear cost impact analysis. That is not always our experience. This meant bidders could offer the most suitable solutions for the project.” 

This flexibility – where appropriate – enables contractors with specific local knowledge or with innovative solutions to propose the optimal result based on their expertise, finding unique ways to meet APM Terminals needs. “This transparency allowed us to refine and tailor our offer to better align with their expectations and ultimately contributed to the successful delivery of the project,” says M. Kumaran.

In APM Terminals’ civil asset management group, strong partnerships and effective collaborations are key to success. The company’s relationship with ABB, a global technology leader in electrification and automation, exemplifies these values perfectly. Together, the two companies tackle challenges head-on, fostering a culture of open communication and mutual respect.

Patrick Vloemans, Head of Global Port Electrification at ABB says, “Challenges are discussed over the table with coffee and cake, and we have never faced ‘letter writing’ as a challenge solver. When you ask the ABB team, that is what they value the most!”

Sander Herruer, Tender Manager for CareGo, the main contractor for MVII’s expansion project, adds: “During the tender process, the APM Terminals team demonstrated practicality and flexibility. Their ability to adapt swiftly to changing circumstances and their smart problem-solving skills were impressive. Working with them was a pleasure, as they consistently maintained a high level of professionalism and dedication”.

Progress already achieved

The collaborative approach with suppliers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) positively impacted results throughout 2024, including: 

+200 hectares of electrified yard for container terminal operations 
Equivalent to about 370 football grounds

+2 kilometers of deep-sea quays 
Equivalent to approximately 20 city blocks   

+4 million cubic meters of dredged material 
About 450 times as big as a hot air balloon

+ 100,000 hours in design services
Equivalent to about 11.4 years

Balanced approach

Behind the big numbers and achievements, says Ametller, is a continuous improvement drive, one which starts and ends with safety. “Our safety record is our most important metric, and that is reflected in the importance we place on safety and compliance during the tender process. 

“In itself, this is an area where we have secured a reputation as being a ‘partner of choice’ not only for governments and port authorities, but also for the contractors and individuals we work with.”