Ramesh Shivakumaran gave his thoughts on Gulftainer and ZPMC's expansions

Sharjah-based Gulftainer is certainly one of the leading ports management and third-party logistics provider in the United Arab Emirates. One of its renowned terminals in the country is the Khorfakkan Container Terminal, now simply referred to as KCT. It is also the only fully fledged operational container terminal in the area.

For KCT's container terminal operations, Gulftainer has placed an order of four Super Post-Panamax ships to shore gantry cranes and twelve rubber-tyred gantry cranes. The contract (supported by ZPMC's export credit arrangement) was signed by the Senior Vice President of ZPMC and the Group Director of Business Services of Gulftainer, Ramesh Shivakumaran at ZPMC's head office in Shanghai.

A high-level delegation from ZPMC visited Gulftainer's facilities at KCT in March 2013. It was headed by the company's president, Dr. Liu Jianzhong and they were impressed with the volumes and high productivity accomplished by the terminal.

According to Ramesh Shivakumaran's review, KCT is among the fastest container terminals in the world when it comes to productivity. In 2012, the terminal's volume also increased by more than 25 percent.

He also added that ZPMC cranes increase the speed and efficiency of the operations for vessels calling at the terminal. In 2014, the ZPMC's gantry cranes are delivered.

ZPMC will be enthusiastic to become the preferred choice for all port crane requirements for Gulftainer's facilities in the UAE and other foreign countries in the future. The company is also delighted to become a part of Gulftainer's expansion in Khorfakkan Port.

Gulftainer indeed has highly dedicated professionals and Ramesh Shivakumaran proves to be one of them. He is a chartered accountant with a graduate degree in commerce from India. He is also a certified public accountant from the United States.

Moreover, he is a dynamic associate member of different associations such as the Information Systems, Audit and Control Association (ISACA) and Certified Fraud Examiners. He holds a certification from the logistics management of North West Kent College in the United Kingdom.

Ramesh has been with Gulftainer since April 1993 and has held different positions in the accounting and financial department of the company. He is a director and board member in various affiliate companies of the group. He has been previously employed in Ernst & Young and Price Waterhouse for more than four years in each company respectively.

It's not surprising that Ramesh Shivakumaran has extensive experience in management. He is actively involved in business planning, business strategy, corporate governance, financial reporting, internal control compliance, managing and directing all key aspects of financial affairs, planning, risk management, and treasury management.

He's also committed in the organizational development associated with information systems, IT infrastructure, human resources, administration, compensation management, and integrated quality management system for the national and international operations of Gulftainer.

For those who wonder the company's major role, it is to administer and operate the container terminals in Port Khalid and Khorfakkan on behalf of the Sharjah Port Authority. The following are the major shipping lines calling at these ports:

- United Arab Shipping Company

- American President Lines (APL)

- China Shipping

- CMA CGM Group

- CSAV

- Ethiopian Shipping Line

- Hanjin

- Hapag-Lloyd

- Maersk Line

- MAG Container Lines (MCL)

- Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)

- Sea Consortium