Dubai Ports World and the Bush administration: Connecting the dots

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Dubai Ports World and the Bush administration: Connecting the dots
Richard Kuper

In December 2004, Dubai Ports International (DPI), a leading world port operator, acquired the international terminal business of CSX World Terminals.

British owned P&O Ports North America, Inc is the P&O Ports company responsible for all port operations in North America. Among it's responsibilities is the loading and unloading of cargo. P&O Ports is also the managing company of the New York Passenger Ship Terminal.

In November 2005, United Arab Emirates-backed Dubai Ports World agreed to buy UK ports and ferries group Peninsular & Oriental Steam (P&O), creating the world's third-largest ports company.

The Dubai Ports World purchase was approved by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. Treasury Secretary John Snow (former CEO of CSX, who's CSX World Terminals division is now part of Dubai Ports World) is chairman of the Committee.

President Bush recently nominated David Sanborn, a senior executive of Dubai Ports World, to run the Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration. Mr. Sanborn had been running the company's operations in Europe and Latin America.

So clearly Bush & Co fingerprints are all over this, but the bigger question is why any foreign owned company, friend or foe, is controlling the loading and unloading of cargo in the USA.