City to Review Arab Takeover of Ship Terminal

New York, NY —

New York City officials plan to review a deal that would allow a United Arab Emirates owned company to takeover Manhattan's Cruise Ship Terminal. WNYC's Bob Hennelly has more.

REPORTER: Senator Charles Schumer has raised security concerns over Federal approval of the deal. It would put Dubai Ports World in charge of the city's cruise ship terminal and a Port Authority marine terminal in Newark. Mayor Bloomberg says the city has to be open to global trade but, that security must come first.

BLOOMBERG: The shipping business is a big international business. We are not going to lock ourselves into a cocoon and I think every one of the Senator's concerns has to be addressed.

REPORTER: Dubai Ports World is taking over a London shipping company that has run the ports. The city can not block the takeover, but could refuse to lease the West Side terminal to the new company. A spokesman for the treasury department -- which reportedly approved the deal -- says its against the law for it to comment. For WNYC I am Bob Hennelly.