In brief
- DP World reported on 29 March 2023 that it had kicked off development of an edible oil terminal at the Port of Berbera.
- The announcement gives an initial storage capacity of 18,000 tonnes, vessel draught up to 16 metres and a long-term lease of the first phase to Mzahim Investment LLC.
- The announcement alone does not show completion, commissioning or achieved prices for edible oil.
Contents
DP World reported on 29 March 2023 that it had kicked off the development of a new edible oil terminal at the Port of Berbera in Somaliland, and that it had already agreed a long-term lease for the facility. The operator described the terminal as an addition to Berbera's trade ecosystem, following the opening of the Berbera Economic Zone about 15 km from the port along the Berbera to Wajaale road.
What the source records
The announcement states that the terminal will initially have a storage capacity of 18,000 tonnes, to be expanded as demand grows, and that it will be able to service vessels with a draught of up to 16 metres, letting the port handle bulk edible oil imports for the first time. The initial phase is reported as fully leased on a long-term basis to Mzahim Investment LLC, a subsidiary of Essa Al Ghurair Investments of the United Arab Emirates, which will also develop a local packaging plant in Berbera that could employ up to 100 people. DP World plans to transform Berbera into an integrated maritime, logistics and industrial trade hub for a region it puts at more than 140 million people. See the DP World announcement.
What it means on site
For a contractor or engineer, the announcement points to the kind of work a bulk liquid terminal carries: tank foundations and bunding, pipework and pumping, loading arms or hoses, and a packaging building with its own services. Capacity and draught figures in the source are what the terminal is described as able to take, not a commissioning record. Tank pad design, secondary containment, corrosion protection for a coastal site and fire protection philosophy all need the project's own specification and engineer. Ask the port's engineering office which drawings and standards apply.
What the source does not establish
The source is a development announcement dated 29 March 2023. It does not report completion, commissioning, achieved storage capacity in service, or final prices for edible oil, and no affordability claim follows from it on its own. The plant employment figure is stated as a possibility, not a headcount on site. The present condition of the terminal, and whether construction has advanced since that date, would be confirmed by the operator's later statements, a site inspection, or the port's own records.
What to do next
Request the current project status and scope from DP World's Berbera port office, and ask which contract packages have been awarded for tankage, pipework and the packaging plant. Ask what standard the storage and containment design follows.
Frequently asked questions
Does the announcement mean the terminal is finished?
No. DP World reported on 29 March 2023 that it had kicked off development, with an initial phase leased to Mzahim Investment LLC. Completion and commissioning are not part of that record.
What size is the edible oil terminal?
The announcement gives an initial storage capacity of 18,000 tonnes, expandable as demand grows, and says it will serve vessels with a draught of up to 16 metres.
Who will operate the terminal?
The source says the initial phase is fully leased long term to Mzahim Investment LLC, a subsidiary of Essa Al Ghurair Investments, which will also develop a packaging plant in Berbera.
Sources
Local reporting: this article is written for building work in Berbera and Somaliland. Ground conditions, prices and rules differ between places; confirm the details for your own site.