Dubai: DP World reported on Monday a 3 per cent increase in handled shipping containers in 2015 that it said was largely driven by growth in terminals in the United Arab Emirates and Europe.

DP World Limited, whose portfolio stretches across the world from Africa to South America, handled in 2015 61.7 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), a shipping container measurement, according to an emailed company statement. This compares to 59.8 million TEUs in 2014.

Ports in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, including the UAEs Jebel Ali, handled 25.9 million TEUs last year, which was a 4.1 per cent improvement on the 24.9 million TEUs handled in 2014.

The Asia Pacific and India Subcontinent region handled 28.2 million TEUs, a 1.6 per cent increase on the 27.8 million TEUs handled a year earlier, the statement said. The largest year-on-year percentage growth was seen in the Americas and Australia market recording a 5.3 per cent increase to 7.4 million TEUs, up from 7 million.

Jebeli Ali continues to be the operator’s busiest port, handling 15.6 million TEUs in 2015.
DP World also announced on Monday its Chairman Sultan Ahmad Bin Sulayem has been appointed as Group Chief Executive, taking over from Mohammad Sharaf who resigned at the end of last month.

Bin Sulayem will continue in his role as Chairman, which he has held since May 2007, with the title of Group Chairman and CEO, a separate statement said.

The operator said in Monday’s volume statement that market conditions in the second half of 2015 “were challenging.”

“The second half of 2015 was difficult for global trade operators, as various economic headwinds including currency weakness and lower commodity prices adversely impacted trade growth,” Bin Sulayem said in the statement.

The Europe, Middle East and Africa portfolio recorded a 0.5 per cent increase in container volumes in the fourth quarter with 6.3 million TEUs and the Americas and Australian region grew by 14 per cent to 2.03 million TEUs. However, the Asia Pacific and Indian Subcontinent region contracted by 1.4 per cent to 6.8 million TEUs.