APMT seals contract pact with Volvo

APM Terminals Inland Services, South Asia has signed an agreement with Gothenburg, Sweden-based Volvo Cars to provide a dedicated, specialized warehouse facility in Chennai.

According to the company, the customized warehouse will provide an integrated Inland Services solution for the Volvo Completely Built Up Units (CBUs) imported from Europe to India through the Port of Chennai.

The 102,000 square foot facility will include bonded and non-bonded areas with an overall capacity of 500 vehicles.

This specialized warehousing solution by APM Terminals Inland Services is according to the company  a step towards expanding its portfolio of customized solutions for customers.

Managing Director of APM Terminals India Pvt,  Ajit Venkataraman said: “We are pleased to be the exclusive Indian partner for inland logistics and services solutions for Volvo Cars, one of the world’s best known and highly respected automotive brands.”

Volvo Cars, a subsidiary of the Chinese-based Zhejiang Geely Holding Group since 2010, has seen Indian car sales grow rapidly in the past three years.

He said: “We look forward to using APM Terminals Inland Services, South Asia’s facilities, as we prepare for high growth in India by launching new models and expanding our network, our cars will be in safe care,” said Volvo Auto India Pvt. Ltd Managing Director Tom von Bonsdorff..

APMT  had  recently unveiled new Truck Safety programme featuring what the company described as “carefully researched and tested standard operating procedures for outside truck drivers delivering or picking up containers”

The company in a statement explained that the initiative would be put into effect by the end of 2016 throughout its global terminal network.

The statement issued by APM Terminals Director, External Communications, Thomas Boyed, quoted Vice President for Health, Safety, Security & Environment, Kevin Furniss as saying: “Our goal is to ensure we have safe operations.  The basic concept here is to eliminate the risk of accident or injury to the thousands of truck drivers who enter our facilities daily by strictly enforcing a “Stay in the Cab” mandate for external truckers, with clearly identified Designated Safe Zones in non-operational areas specified for those occasions when leaving the truck is necessary.”

According to the statement, a  pilot programme at APM Terminals facilities in Rotterdam, Los Angeles, Mumbai, Callao (Peru), and Apapa (Nigeria), including 100 hours of safety observations and 160 identified risk situations was performed and the data analyzed to review existing procedures and risks”.
It added: “Reasons for drivers leaving their truck cabs, and thus increasing the risk of accidents with container handling equipment or other trucks, included document handling, looking for containers, asking for directions, inspecting chassis, guiding equipment operators, and securing loads while in the yard”.