In brief
- DP World announced on 29 March 2023 that it had started developing an edible oil terminal at the Port of Berbera and had already agreed a long-term lease for the facility.
- The source states the terminal will initially have 18,000 tonnes of storage capacity and will serve vessels with a draught of up to 16 metres.
- The announcement gives a stated capacity and a named tenant, not a completion date or a finished facility.
Contents
DP World announced on 29 March 2023 that it had started development of a new edible oil terminal at the Port of Berbera in Somaliland, and that the initial phase of the terminal was already fully leased. The announcement also covered storage capacity, vessel draught and a local packaging plant.
What the source records
The announcement, published by DP World on 29 March 2023, states that the terminal will initially have a storage capacity of 18,000 tonnes, to be expanded as demand grows, and will be able to service vessels with a draught of up to 16 metres, allowing the port to handle bulk imports of edible oil for the first time. The initial phase is described as fully leased on a long-term basis to Mzahim Investment LLC, a subsidiary of Essa Al Ghurair Investments of the United Arab Emirates. Mzahim Investment will also develop a packaging plant in Berbera that could employ up to 100 people. Read the full announcement at DP World.
What it means on site
For a contractor or supplier, the sequence matters: a tenant was named in the announcement and the initial storage phase was reported as leased, so procurement and fit-out can be planned against a stated capacity rather than a hoped-for user. Tank foundations, bunding and pipework on a terminal of this type are designed around the product, the throughput and the vessel draught the berth can take, so the 18,000 tonnes and 16 metres in the announcement are the figures to hold a design conversation against. Confirm any of them against the current project documents.
What the source does not establish
This is a development announcement dated 29 March 2023. It does not state a completion date, commissioning date, contract value, tank count or the civil scope awarded. A lease agreed and a capacity stated are not a built terminal, and the announcement does not establish that the facility is operating, that the packaging plant is built, or that edible oil prices have fallen. No source was found for the terminal's present state. As-built drawings held by the port authority or the tenant would confirm what exists.
What to do next
Ask the Berbera port authority for the terminal's current status and the civil works package list, and ask Mzahim Investment or EGI for the packaging plant programme. If tendering, request the terminal's latest issued drawings and specification before pricing tank or containment works.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Berbera edible oil terminal finished?
DP World's 29 March 2023 announcement reported the start of development and a long-term lease on the initial phase. It gave no completion date, and no later source was found for the terminal's present state.
Who leased the initial phase of the Berbera edible oil terminal?
The announcement states the initial phase was 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.
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.