In brief
- Somaliland Chronicle reported on 6 January 2021 that Berbera Port received four additional Liebherr rubber tyred gantry cranes, bringing the total to eight.
- Port Manager Saeed Abdillahi Hassan said the cranes would triple container handling capacity from 170,000 to 450,000 containers per year, with all eleven cranes expected online in summer 2021.
- The report does not establish what has happened since that date regarding crane operations, arrival of the three larger cranes, or actual capacity changes.
On 6 January 2021, Somaliland Chronicle reported that Berbera Port Authorities received four more Liebherr rubber tyred gantry cranes (RTGs) at 12:00 AM, according to a statement from Berbera Port Manager Saeed Abdillahi Hassan. The delivery followed four cranes that arrived on 24 December 2020, bringing the port's RTG fleet to a total of eight.
Liebherr signed a deal with DP World in March 2020 to supply the eight RTGs, the report said. Berbera Port previously operated three Liebherr LHM 420 mobile harbor cranes. Three additional larger cranes from Germany were expected to arrive in the first quarter of 2021.
Port Manager Hassan said the arrival of these cranes would triple the port's container handling capacity from 170,000 to 450,000 containers per year and significantly increase the average unloading rate of cargo. He stated that all eleven cranes were expected to come online in summer 2021. Mr. Hassan also said 35 international companies had reached out to the government of Somaliland for cooperation on the Free Trade Zone, and Mr. Saeed added that increased handling would have a major impact on Somaliland's economy.
The Somaliland Chronicle report does not establish what has actually happened since 6 January 2021. It does not confirm whether the three larger cranes from Germany arrived, whether all eleven cranes became operational, or whether container handling capacity increased to the projected 450,000 containers per year. The report also does not provide primary documents from the Port Manager, contract details between Liebherr and DP World, or a breakdown of the reported $450 million price tag for the Berbera Port expansion.
Frequently asked questions
How many cranes were delivered to Berbera Port on 6 January 2021?
Four additional Liebherr rubber tyred gantry cranes were received, bringing the total to eight, according to Somaliland Chronicle.
What is the current container handling capacity of Berbera Port?
The report states the Port Manager said capacity would triple from 170,000 to 450,000 containers per year, but it does not confirm the actual current capacity as of the report date or later.
Who supplied the cranes to Berbera Port?
Liebherr supplied the cranes under a deal signed with DP World in March 2020, according to the Somaliland Chronicle report.