Global marine terminal operator DP World has said it has overcome congestion at its flagship terminal at Jebel Ali Port.

“Operations have returned to the usual high service levels with no delays to shipping,” it said in a statement.
DP World introduced a number of initiatives to relieve congestion that began at the terminal over the summer, working closely with its customers. Growth in volumes had put pressure on ports in the region causing vessel delays, which had a knock-on effect at Jebel Ali.  Around 80 per cent of vessels were arriving out of their berthing windows, with containers stacking up and taking time to clear. Traders were also leaving containers on the terminal for much longer, putting pressure on yard capacity.
Mohammed Al Muallem, senior vice president and managing director, DP World – UAE, said: “We are pleased the measures we have taken to relieve the congestion experienced during the summer have been successful. We would like to thank our customers for their patience and understanding of the situation and their co-operation during this difficult period.”
The initiatives included expanding yard capacity, working with customers to manage berthing times and increasing storage fees to encourage traders to move their containers off the terminal.  The deployment of new equipment at the new Container Terminal - 2 at Jebel Ali Port also increased handling capacity. 
Al Muallem said the decision to increase storage fees for containers left in the yard for more than the five-day free period had helped resolve the congestion problem. “Since we introduced the new rates, we have seen a significant reduction in the time containers are being left in our yards, and this has also positively impacted our liner customers who no longer experience delays in berthing.”
The official said DP World had moved quickly to resolve the issue out of its commitment to providing the best services to its customers. It held intensive meetings with all parties involved, including traders, shipping lines and the authorities, to find solutions to the issues involved and ensure the necessary steps were taken to ease the pressure.
Capacity at Jebel Ali will increase by around 5 million teu in early 2009 when total handling capacity of the port will reach 14 million teu.
DP World is one of the largest marine terminal operators in the world, with 48 terminals and 13 new developments across 31 countries. Its dedicated, experienced and professional team of nearly 30,000 people serves customers in some of the most dynamic economies in the world. 
In 2007, DP World handled more than 43.3 million teu across its portfolio from the Americas to Asia – an increase of 18 per cent on 2006. It has global capacity of more than 54 million tue, which is set to increase significantly in coming years with a committed pipeline of expansion and development projects in key growth markets, including India, China and the Middle East.  Capacity will rise to around 90 million teu by 2017.