Possible Investments in Limon Province and Anticipated Growth
This article was originally published on November 1st, 2013 in A.M. Costa Rica, an on-line English language news source. The editor made some changes when published, this was the original story.
In a public hearing to be held November 9th at the Eddy Bermudez gymnasium in Limon, SETENA (the technical arm of Costa Rica’s environmental ministry) will provide its findings related to the environmental impacts that the new container facility will have on the community. As part of the concession contract APM terminals, the 30 year operator of the new facility must provide bus services to and from the meeting for communities of lower incomes and those who have limited transportation options. APM will also be responsible for the security and other logistics for the event. This hearing is required as part of SETENA’s permission process.
A few days ago the Ministry of Public Works (MOPT) approved the plans and design of the new facility giving the project a green light. Next week after the hearing APM had planned a press workshop in San Jose but it will now be given by SETENA.
On November 26th and 27th Costa Rica welcomes once again China and their deep pocketbooks. The Seventh China Business Summit will be held at the Hotel Real Continental in San Jose. “The Chinese representatives have allocated 2 days to spend in the province of Limon” says Rogelio Douglas, General Manager for APM Terminals in Moin.
Douglas, a Limon native, left Costa Rica when he was 15 for a U.S. education. He at time seems more like a cheerleader for Limon than the communications go- to- guy for a multi-national corporation. “The basic conversations we are having with manufacturers and possible new investors is for them to do their final assembly of products here on the Eastern Coast of Costa Rica and re-distribute from here to North America, South America and even Europe.” “We cannot fail. Failure is not an option. We must attract investors”.
In early 2017 the terminal should be starting operations but the hiring process will start in 2015.
“We will need to hire the first 100 employees in 2015 to send them to one of our other international terminals to gain field experience. These fully paid people will be our managers and team leaders. Upon returning in 2016 we will hire an additional 300 people and they will form teams. We will be hiring these people from here in Limon”.
APM is 1st multi-national corporation to open in Limon in 100 years. In 2-3 years APM will close the San Jose office and the Headquarters will be located on the terminal.
APM will eventually have 1000 people on payroll.
Facts about the new billion dollar container facility in Moin
80% of Costa Rica’s imports and exports currently flow through the two existing ports in Limon.
The entire terminal will be built using rocks and material 500 meters off of the coastline. The only soil the structure will touch will be at the end of the 4 lane access road.
The facility will be 5 meters above the surface of the water.
The plan does not involve removing or refurbishing the existing container terminal. It will be the same as it is today.
The new facility will be a “modern” facility with cranes for loading and unloading. The existing terminal does not have cranes to move containers on and off the ships. The first generation banana ships do have their own cranes but second, third and fourth generation ships do not. This limits the amount and types of transport that can filter through the port. The Limon terminal has 2 cranes but one has been non-functioning for two years.
The existing ocean floor depth is 11 meters deep and it will need to be 18 meters deep for the container ships. They will dredge the 10 million cubic meters of silt and place it 3 miles away farther into the ocean.
From apmterminals.com – APM Terminals offers an integrated global network of ports, terminals and inland services. This network has 53 ports in 32 countries, 121 inland facilities in 48 countries, with a total of 22,000 employees in 62 countries.
Our post from before the project got the green light is http://kimberlybeck.net/port-of-moin/