Splash247: Gulftainer enters Thailand with Suksawat terminal investment

Published by Splash247

UAE-based port operator Gulftainer has signed a binding agreement to invest in Suksawat Terminal on Thailand’s Chao Phraya River, giving the group its first operating foothold in the country.

The size of the stake and financial terms have not been disclosed.

The terminal sits at Samut Prakan, south of Bangkok, and connects Greater Bangkok’s industrial base with Thailand’s main deepsea gateway at Laem Chabang through a regular barge operation. Gulftainer said it intends to invest in additional capacity, productivity and the terminal’s service offering.

Suksawat is currently owned by Stock Exchange of Thailand-listed Siamgas and Petrochemicals and operated by Suksawat Terminal Co. The facility covers about 48,000 sq m, including a 40,000 sq m container yard capable of holding around 5,000 teu at one time.

The river terminal has two panamax quay cranes, five rubber-tyred gantry cranes and can accommodate ships of around 180-192 m. Its barge connection to Laem Chabang takes about eight hours, providing an alternative to trucking containers between the Bangkok area and the eastern seaboard port.

Gulftainer said Suksawat would become a base for a broader push into Thailand spanning terminal operations, inland logistics and maritime connectivity.

The Sharjah-headquartered group currently operates port and logistics assets in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and the US. It has also been expanding its own feeder operation, GT Lines, which currently operates 10 vessels across routes linking the Gulf, Indian subcontinent, China and Southeast Asia