17th January 2005

Thamesport (London) Limited is celebrating the signing of a new contract with a major UK resin importer. The agreement with Resin Trade, based in Burton-upon-Trent, will mean the creation, over the next 12 to 18 months, of up to six dedicated silos at the Medway facility for the storage of the company’s resin products.

At present, Resin Trade ships all of its cargo in 40' containers, each containing 18 pallets of 55 x 25kg bags. Over the next 12 to 18 months, Resin Trade will progressively import the majority of its cargo in polyethylene-lined 20’ containers, which is the preferred mode of transport of one of their major principals, Equate Petrochemicals. The resin can then be discharged directly into the silos, each with a capacity of 100 tonnes, and loaded into bulk tankers with ease.

Richard Bradwell, Managing Director of Resin Trade, said:

“The agreement with Thamesport is a logical step forward for Resin Trade. An increasing number of our customers require deliveries in bulk tankers rather than receiving palletised products, and the development of dedicated silos at Thamesport will mean a vastly simplified logistics chain.”

He added:

“The attraction of Thamesport was the availability of deep-water berthing, enabling vessels with up to 15-metre draft to call, and also the close proximity of suitable land to the berth. Thamesport has used its expertise in cargo handling and management to ensure our business benefits from a strong operational foundation.”

The new contract will see a significant increase in Resin Trade volumes through Thamesport, from 1,000 tonnes per month in 2004, up to 2,500 tonnes per month by the end of 2007.

The new contract was welcomed by David Gledhill, Chief Operating Officer of Thamesport, who said:

“We are delighted to have secured this important agreement with Resin Trade at Thamesport, and believe that the experience and reputation that the company has built up over the years will ensure that this venture is a great success.”

Resin Trade is a major importer of poliolefins, resin granules used in the production of plastic packaging such as carrier bags, and various plastic films. The company has developed close relationships with a number of major polymer manufacturers throughout the world, who rely upon the company’s professionalism and reliability to distribute their materials. In addition, close ties to key consumers enable the company to act as sourcing agents, particularly for overseas manufacturers.

The first silo arrived in Thamesport on 8th December 2004, and will be fully erected and operational by 17th January 2005. Further silos will follow during 2005.

ENDS

Note to Editors:

For further information, please contact Rachael Jackson, Corporate Affairs Officer, on Tel No: +44 (0)1394 604167, Fax No: +44 (0)1394 604943 or e-mail: jacksonr@hpuk.co.uk

Thamesport (TMP) is located in the heart of South East England, 10 miles from the M2 motorway, 35 miles from London. It is one of the UK’s busiest container ports.

TMP is a member of the Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the multinational conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa Limited (HWL). HPH is the world's leading port investor, developer and operator with interests in 17 countries throughout Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Americas. Today, HPH operates a total of 206 berths in 35 ports, together with a number of transportation-related service companies. With industry-recognised core competence in the effective and efficient management and operation of ports, the HPH Group handled 41.5 million TEU in 2003.