Yilport starts investments in Ecuador’s Puerto Bolívar container terminal by installing two mobile harbor cranes
Yilport Holding started investments in Ecuador’s Puerto Bolívar container terminal by installing two mobile harbor cranes. The MHCs arrived on 21 May, and the equipment will be operational by the first week of June, the company said in its press release.
The new cranes will provide terminal services to the container vessels at Puerto Bolívar’s new berth, which is 300 meters’ long with a draft of -14 meters. MSC Panama container feeder service is already calling Yilport Puerto Bolívar terminal, and the new cranes are expected to attract more calls.
Yilport Holding CMO, Mr. Erhan CILOGLU stated that Yilport’s global standards will boost Puerto Bolívar container terminal as a strategic hub for Ecuador’s fresh fruit trade and provide exporters with more options on their worldwide shipments.
Puerto Bolívar is one of the world’s largest ports for fruits and seafood. Yilport Holding, a Yildirim Group company, will invest USD 750 million in the expansion and modernization of the port. The development program will be completed in 5 phases. Yilport will invest USD 230 million in the first phase, which will take 3 years. The dredging work will deepen the draft from 10 meters to 17 meters. The terminal will be equipped with modern infrastructure and equipment. Consequently, the largest container ships of the world will berth and receive services at Puerto Bolívar. Upon completion of 5 investment phases, the annual container handling capacity will reach 2.5 million TEU. Eventually, the port will become the largest and the most advanced state-of-the-art container terminal on the Pacific coast of Latin America. Puerto Bolívar will boost the foreign trade volume of Ecuador, and will constitute a strategic role in the global network of Yilport Holding.
Yildirim Group’s subsidiary Yilport Holding secured the rights to Puerto Bolívar in Machala City, Ecuador in August 2016. The 50-year concession deal also marks the largest ever Turkish investment in Ecuador.
