# $442m DP World Plan for Berbera Port Dates to May 2017 Report

> A 29 May 2017 Somaliland Sun report said DP World would spend US$442m upgrading Berbera port, but did not establish that work had begun.

- By: Editorial Team, Somali Construction Review (https://somaliconstructionreview.com/about)
- Published: 30 September 2026
- Format: News story (reported from one named public source)
- Publication: Somali Construction Review (https://somaliconstructionreview.com)
- Subject: Infrastructure and Services
- Tags: ports, project-management, procurement
- Web version: https://somaliconstructionreview.com/blog/442m-dp-world-berbera-port-plan-2017

## Key points

- Somaliland Sun reported on 29 May 2017 that DP World would spend US$442m upgrading Berbera port to handle more cargo, especially for Ethiopia.
- The report, citing President Muse Biihi, described a 30-year concession with a 10-year extension and a 65% DP World stake, but provided no contract documents.
- The article did not establish that construction had started, that funds were spent, or that the port had become more competitive than Djibouti.

Somaliland Sun reported on 29 May 2017 that DP World would spend US$442m on upgrading Berbera port, with the aim of enabling it to handle more cargo, especially for Ethiopia.

The report did not establish whether any of that investment had been spent or committed, nor whether construction had begun. It identified the source of its information only as constructionreviewonline.com, spelled c-o-n-s-t-r-u-c-t-i-o-n-r-e-v-e-i-w-o-n-l-i-n-e, and did not clarify whether the figure represented total project cost, DP World's committed investment, or a broader funding package.

Somaliland Sun attributed the concession terms to Somaliland President Muse Biihi. According to that report, DP World had signed a 30-year concession with a 10-year extension for management and development, and the company held a 65 per cent stake in the venture. The report did not state the identity of the remaining 35 per cent partner or supply a copy of the signed agreement.

As of the article's publication, DP World had a portfolio of 78 operating marine and inland terminals supported by over 50 related businesses in 40 countries across six continents, according to Somaliland Sun. Those figures were not independently verified in the report.

The article stated that the initiative was meant to make Berbera port more competitive against Djibouti port for business around the Horn of Africa. No evidence of actual competitiveness gains, cargo volume changes, or capacity figures before and after the upgrade was provided.

The report did not give a timeline for the works, a contractor, a procurement plan, or a breakdown of how the US$442m would be allocated across port components. Somaliland Sun's story left open whether the investment had moved beyond announcement.

## Questions

### What did the Somaliland Sun report say about the Berbera port upgrade?

It said DP World would spend US$442m on upgrading Berbera port to handle more cargo, especially for Ethiopia, and that the company had a 65% stake under a 30-year concession with a 10-year extension.

### Did the report confirm that construction had started?

No. The report only described planned works and provided no evidence of construction progress or completion.

## Sources

- [Somaliland: US$ 442m DP World Investment to be Spent in the Upgrade of Berbera Port](https://somalilandsun.com/somaliland-us-442m-dp-world-investment-to-be-spent-in-the-upgrade-of-berbera-port/) — Somaliland Sun, 2017-05-29