HPH Trust flags DPU impact from debt payment plan

Singapore

PORT operator Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) Trust's plan to pay down HK$1 billion (S$179 million) of debt annually for five years starting this year will take a significant chunk out of its distributions per unit (DPU), said Gerry Yim, chief executive officer of Hutchison Port Holdings Management, the trustee-manager.

Mr Yim expects shipping lines to do "a lot better" this year compared with last year and that the trust could benefit from that. And though shipping line mergers are likely to put a squeeze on tariffs at HPH Trust's ports, he is less worried about impact from the formation of shipping alliances.