Dubai’s DP World, one of the world’s largest port operators, is seeking $210.2 million in damages from Djibouti’s government in an ongoing legal battle over port concession rights, documents related to the dispute, seen by Reuters, showed.
DP World and Djibouti have since 2012 been locked in the dispute over DP World’s concession to operate the Doraleh Container Terminal, which is located in the Horn of Africa along key trade routes at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. Djibouti seized the terminal from state-owned DP World in 2018.
The London Court of International Arbitration has previously ruled that DP World’s concession to operate the terminal is legal and binding and ordered it be restored.
DP World is now seeking damages for the estimated loss of revenue and management fees from 2018 to March 31 this year through the same court while still seeking to restore the concession, the documents showed.
If the concession is not restored, DP World estimates losses in excess of $1 billion, including future profits, one of the documents showed.
A decision on DP World’s claim by the London court is expected on June 29.
“If today DP World wants to again begin other proceedings, they are free to do so, but Dijbouti has already made its position clear and in our view this matter is settled,” said Alexis Mohamed, chief adviser to President Ismail Omar Guelleh, who won a fifth five-year term in elections held last Friday.
DP World said it remained the legal holder of the concession and alleged that Djibouti had acted illegally in seizing the terminal from the Dubai state-owned company.
