In brief
- DP World Berbera reported on 13 January 2021 that the 400-metre quay and 25-hectare yard extension were completed in August 2020.
- Eight rubber-tyred gantry cranes arrived after that civil work finished, and three ship-to-shore cranes were scheduled for delivery in March.
- The source describes the civil work as done but frames terminal commissioning as a target for the end of March, not an achieved result.
Contents
DP World Berbera reported on 13 January 2021 that the container terminal's 400-metre quay and 25-hectare yard extension were completed in August 2020. The same announcement recorded the arrival of eight rubber-tyred gantry cranes at the port, described by the operator as a milestone in the expansion it is carrying out at Berbera in Somaliland.
What the source records
The operator states that eight rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes arrived as part of the port expansion, following completion of a 400-metre quay and a 25-hectare yard extension of the new container terminal in August 2020. According to DP World, the next milestone will be installing three Super Post Panamax ship-to-shore gantry cranes, scheduled for delivery in March. DP World says it has committed up to US$442 million and that capacity will rise by 500,000 TEUs per year once completed.
What it means on site
The sequence matters for anyone reading a programme of works. Paved yard, quay edge and crane rails sit on the civil side of the schedule; gantry cranes sit on the equipment side. Cargo-handling capacity only comes together when both are in place, so programme dates should be read against the civil completion record rather than the arrival date of machinery. Where a client or contractor is sequencing similar terminal or yard works, the same split applies: confirm what the specified load and rail tolerances are with the project engineer before laying a yard that will carry rubber-tyred gantry traffic, and confirm the pavement build-up in the specification rather than assuming one.
What the source does not establish
The announcement gives August 2020 as a civil completion date but does not publish a test-and-handover record, a defects list or an as-built survey, and it does not describe the quay or yard in service. Terminal commissioning by the end of March is a target in a January 2021 report, not a completed milestone. This article cannot describe the present condition of the port or anything that happened after January 2021. A signed completion certificate, a handover minute or an operations notice from the port authority would be the record to look for.
What to do next
Anyone relying on the August 2020 civil completion date should ask the port operator or the contracting party for the completion certificate or handover record for the quay and yard package, and check whether the document covers the full 400 metres and 25 hectares or only part of the scope.
Frequently asked questions
When did DP World report the Berbera quay and yard as completed?
In its 13 January 2021 announcement, DP World dated completion of the 400-metre quay and 25-hectare yard extension to August 2020.
Does the report say the terminal was operating in January 2021?
No. It gives a target of commissioning by the end of March, which is a forecast, and it does not confirm when operations started.
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.