In brief
- DP World reported on 24 June 2021 that Berbera Port's new container terminal was inaugurated, with a first-phase capacity of 500,000 TEUs a year.
- The Berbera Economic Zone had a symbolic groundbreaking at the same event, and DP World described its first phase as under construction.
- The second-phase quay extension to 1,000 metres and capacity of up to two million TEUs a year were announced plans, not achieved figures.
Contents
DP World reported on 24 June 2021 that it and the Government of Somaliland inaugurated the new container terminal at Berbera Port, and that the same event included a symbolic ground-breaking for the Berbera Economic Zone. The terminal opening followed completion of the port expansion's first phase, according to the operator's announcement.
What the source records
DP World's announcement states that the terminal has a deep draft of 17m, a 400m quay and three ship-to-shore gantry cranes, and that it raises the port's container capacity from 150,000 TEUs to 500,000 TEUs a year. It records a container yard with eight rubber-tyred gantry cranes and a One Stop Service Centre then under construction. The same source says DP World committed up to US$442 million, announced work underway on a second phase extending the quay to 1,000 metres with seven more cranes, and described the economic zone's first phase as under construction. See DP World.
What it means on site
An inauguration and a ground-breaking are different milestones, and the source treats them differently. The terminal is described as inaugurated with first-phase works complete. The economic zone is described as having had a symbolic ground-breaking, with its first phase under construction. For anyone specifying works, ordering long-lead items or scheduling site access near the corridor, the practical check is which package has a completion date attached and which does not. Ask the project office for the current drawing register, the awarded package list and the access route for each.
What the source does not establish
The second-phase quay extension, the seven additional cranes and the capacity of up to two million TEUs a year are announced plans, not achieved results. The source does not give a completion date for the economic zone's first phase beyond "under construction". The operator's account is the as-of date, 24 June 2021. It does not describe later conditions at the port, the zone or the corridor. A contractor or client seeking the present state needs the current phase completion certificates, the operator's latest capacity statement and the zone authority's infrastructure handover records.
What to do next
Request the terminal's first-phase completion certificate and the economic zone's current package register from the Berbera project office before pricing any works, haulage or laydown area near the corridor. Ask which access roads are handed over and which are still contractor-controlled.
Frequently asked questions
Was the Berbera Economic Zone completed when the terminal opened?
No. DP World's 24 June 2021 announcement describes a symbolic ground-breaking for the economic zone and says its first phase was under construction. The inaugurated, completed element was the container terminal's first phase.
Is Berbera Port's capacity two million TEUs a year?
The source gives 500,000 TEUs a year for the first phase and describes up to two million TEUs as the aim of the announced second-phase expansion, which it says is underway. Confirm current capacity with the operator's latest figures.
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.