Gulftainer starts venture in Turkey

Dubai: Sharjah's Gulftainer Company Limited has launched a transport and logistics firm in a joint venture with Turkey's Demas International.

The new company will combine Demas's Turkish expertise in logistics, trucking and warehousing with Gulftainer's terminal, port, transport operations and links with various shipping lines, Gulftainer said.

"The partnership also holds future opportunities for the use of these synergies to jointly explore further trucking, logistics, warehousing, freight forwarding and supply chain and inland container depot businesses, both in Turkey and in the wider region, factoring in Gulftainer's international network and contacts with Demas's knowledge of the wider Turkish market," it said in a statement.

The venture aims to capitalise on Turkey's strategic location as a key link between Europe, the Middle East and Asia. This is Gulftainer's fourth overseas project, in addition to those in Kuwait, Pakistan and the Comoros Islands.

Overseas foray

"Our company has operated and managed the container terminals in Sharjah and Khor Fakkan, which have become synonymous with record breaking performance and reliability, for over thirty years. We realised about three years ago that we had much to contribute to activities outside the UAE in the broader field of transport and logistics and our recent international ventures have reflected this policy," said Gulftainer director and general manager Peter Richards.

"We are excited about this development with Demas in a part of the world that is not only expanding rapidly but also shares close ties with our home base. We are confident that we will have many reasons to celebrate this Turkish link in the years to come," he said.