UAE's Gulftainer Invests in Thailand's Suksawat Terminal, Entering the Thai Market for the First Time

en.Wedoany.com Reported - UAE port and logistics operator Gulftainer has announced that it has signed a binding agreement to make a strategic investment in Thailand's Suksawat Terminal. The terminal is located in Samut Prakan Province south of Bangkok, along the Chao Phraya River. This transaction marks Gulftainer's first entry into Thailand's port and logistics market.

Suksawat Terminal mainly serves import and export enterprises in the Greater Bangkok area and is directly connected to Thailand's main deep-water port, Laem Chabang Port, via barge services. The area where the terminal is located is adjacent to industrial clusters including automotive, electronics, petrochemicals, consumer goods, and food, and can form an inland river–deep-water port transshipment chain with Laem Chabang Port through Chao Phraya River water transport.

According to the investment direction announced by Gulftainer, the company will continue to invest in Suksawat Terminal's throughput capacity, operational efficiency, and service capabilities, and plans to further develop inland logistics, industrial infrastructure, and maritime connectivity around the terminal. This agreement is a strategic investment, not merely a terminal operation service contract; however, Gulftainer has not yet disclosed the investment amount, equity ratio, designed throughput after expansion, or specific equipment procurement plans.

Suksawat Terminal's direct barge connection can transfer cargo from Bangkok's industrial zones to Laem Chabang Port, which then connects to international ocean-going routes. Laem Chabang Port is currently undergoing expansion, with existing annual container handling capacity of approximately 11 million TEU, targeted to increase to 18 million TEU after expansion. Gulftainer's entry into Suksawat Terminal this time directly connects its Thai operations to the logistics corridor between Bangkok's manufacturing hinterland and Laem Chabang deep-water port.

This Thailand investment also falls within Gulftainer's global trade infrastructure expansion cycle. In July, the company announced a new global trade infrastructure strategy, planning to integrate ports, shipping, inland logistics, and supply chain infrastructure; its UAE Khorfakkan Commercial Terminal is planned to have future throughput capacity exceeding 10 million TEU, and its two major inland logistics projects, Al Dhaid and Sajaa, have a combined planned handling capacity of approximately 2.3 million TEU.