Dubai: DP World's failed bid to manage port assets in America under bitter opposition from US politicians was a lesson for the company, a senior official said on Monday.
"Now whatever we do internationally, we have to learn our lessons from what happened in the US and act accordingly," said Anwar Ahmad Wajdi, DP World's deputy managing director for the UAE.
Asked by Gulf News if the controversy surrounding the P&O deal in the US will affect the company's business, Wajdi said, "It became a political issue rather than a security issue."
Legislators in the US argued an Arab company managing US container terminals would threaten national security.
Wajdi said average Americans might have been unaware of the security aspects of the port business.
"Whatever happened in the US turned out to be a political thing. We are going to look at it with an open mind. We have to look into our interests and see what serves us most in terms of our global operations," the DP world official said.
The company is looking for buyers to transfer its port assets in the US that it acquired under P&O's purchase.
The takeover of P&O's India operations by DP World has also come into the spotlight over questions that the Dubai company may dominate the Indian container port business.
Wajdi brushed the issue aside, suggesting a global firm like DP World could not escape public scrutiny.
"As long as we are international, (such) things are going to crop up," he said.
Speaking at a conference in Dubai, former New York police commissioner Bernard B. Kerik supported the company's record on security.
"DP World and its strict adherence to international security standards demonstrates that Dubai is truly a world leader in establishing best practices in all areas of maritime and aviation security," Kerik told the Airport, Port and Transport Security Middle East conference.
