Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) announced that it has been awarded a concession by the Manta Port Authority to build and operate a new container terminal at the Port of Manta, Ecuador.

Commenting on the new port investment, Mr. John Meredith, Group Managing Director of HPH said, "We welcome this opportunity to build and operate a container handling facility which will strengthen HPH's Latin America network on the West Coast of South America. Being the closest port to Asia, the new terminal will benefit from the growing trade activities between the two regions."

The new terminal is scheduled to be operational in 2007. It will have a quay length of 1,250 metres for container handling with a depth alongside of 15 metres and a total area of 63 hectares upon completion of all phases.

The Port of Manta is a natural deep-sea port, capable of accommodating the world's largest vessels afloat. It is located approximately one hour from international shipping routes, making it the ideal first port of call in the region by global shipping lines.

HPH is the world's leading port developer and operator as well as an industry leader in the application of technologies to strengthen the entire transportation and logistics chain, managing 251 berths in 43 ports along with a number of transportation related service companies. In 2005, the HPH Group handled 51.8 million TEU.

HPH is a subsidiary of the diversified Hutchison Whampoa Limited (HWL), and was formally established in 1994 to manage the Group's ports and related services worldwide.