Amman-based Arab Potash Co. (APC) reported that it has exported its largest-ever shipment of potash to Europe, sending 54,800 mt aboard the MV Draftvader in early September to Belgium and the Netherlands.
APC Chairman Shihadeh Abu Hdaib said APC is steadily growing its global footprint and has implemented numerous capital projects over the last five years to expand into new markets. He said the company’s traditional markets are currently facing intense price competition due to shifts in global potash trade routes.
In an effort to establish a strong presence in the European market, APC has rented storage facilities at major ports in Belgium and the Netherlands. APC President and CEO Dr. Maen Nsour said this has allowed the company to ship large quantities of potash at lower freight costs, and to reach customers in France, Spain, the UK, Ireland, Benelux, and Eastern Europe using small vessels, river barges, and trucks.
Hdaib noted as well that the increase in APC’s exports to Europe has also had a positive impact on Jordan’s national trade balance, given that APC is one of Jordan’s largest contributors to foreign currency reserves and state revenue.