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In brief
- The Somali Ports Authority profile dated 31 May 2024 lists a 455 metre quay extension, a 5.5 hectare storage yard, dredging to 12 metres and advanced IT systems as key improvements under DP World's management.
- The same profile records a 30 year concession secured by P&O Ports (DP World) in 2017, and a 420 metre northern mole with a 200 metre southern breakwater protecting the port.
- The improvement list carries no dates, costs or completion status, so the as-of date of each item is the profile itself and nothing later.
Contents
The Somali Ports Authority, in a Bosaso port profile dated 31 May 2024, lists a 455 metre quay extension, a 5.5 hectare storage yard, dredging to 12 metres and advanced IT systems as key improvements under DP World's management. The same profile records that P&O Ports (DP World) secured a 30 year concession in 2017 to manage and expand the port.
What the source records
The profile states that Bosaso port, also called Bender Qaasim, sits on the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden, protected by a 420 metre northern mole and a 200 metre southern breakwater, and that it was built in the late 1980s for livestock exports. It records cleanup works in the 2000s, infrastructure enhancements in 2012 and the 2017 concession, then lists the four improvements above. Read the full list at Somali Ports Authority.
What it means on site
A 12 metre dredged depth sets a working limit on the draught of vessels that can berth, so a contractor or shipping agent can ask the port's marine department for the current surveyed depths alongside the berth before planning a call or a quay-side lift. The 5.5 hectare yard figure describes the paved storage area the authority lists, which matters for how long cargo can sit before it blocks a working face; ask the port operations office for the current yard plan and stacking rules. The 455 metre quay extension is quoted as a length, not a berth layout, so concrete works, fender and bollard spacings and crane rail positions can only be confirmed against the as-built drawings held by the port engineer.
What the source does not establish
The improvement list carries no dates, no costs and no completion status, and the profile does not say which items are finished, under way or planned. A quay extension, a storage yard, a dredging campaign and an IT rollout are scopes as listed by the authority, not evidence of completed work, and the profile's date is the as-of date. The 420 metre mole, the 200 metre breakwater and the 2017 concession are as the profile states them. The record that would confirm the present state is a works completion certificate or an as-built survey from the port authority or the terminal operator.
What to do next
Request the port's current berth schedule and the latest hydrographic survey from the Somali Ports Authority office in Bosaso or the terminal operator, and ask which of the four listed improvements has an issued completion certificate. For yard or quay works, ask the port engineer for as-built drawings before pricing.
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Bosaso port dredged to?
The Somali Ports Authority profile dated 31 May 2024 lists dredging to 12 metres for larger vessels among the improvements under DP World's management. The profile gives no completion date for that dredging, so confirm the surveyed depth alongside the berth with the port authority or terminal operator.
When did DP World take over Bosaso port?
The same profile records that P&O Ports (DP World) secured a 30 year concession in 2017 to manage and expand the port.
What is the quay length at Bosaso port?
The profile lists a 455 metre quay extension, alongside a 420 metre northern mole and a 200 metre southern breakwater. The profile does not date the extension or give a total berth length.
Sources
Local reporting: this article is written for building work in Bosaso and Puntland. Ground conditions, prices and rules differ between places; confirm the details for your own site.