In brief

  1. DP World's 24 June 2021 announcement says the inaugurated Berbera container terminal has a 400m quay, 17m draft and three ship-to-shore gantry cranes.
  2. The same announcement states the terminal raised port container capacity from 150,000 to 500,000 TEUs a year, with a second phase announced to extend the quay to 1,000m and add seven more STS cranes.
  3. The crane figures describe equipment named at inauguration; DP World's phase two capacities and crane additions are announced plans, not completed work.
Contents
  1. What the source records
  2. What it means on site
  3. What the source does not establish
  4. What to do next

DP World announced on 24 June 2021 that the new container terminal at Berbera Port had been inaugurated, and named three ship-to-shore (STS) gantry cranes in the terminal specification. The operator also announced a second phase of expansion. The terminal was opened at an event attended by Somaliland's president and the DP World group chairman, alongside a government delegation from Ethiopia.

What the source records

In its announcement, DP World describes the new terminal as having a deep draft of 17m, a quay of 400m and three STS gantry cranes, which it says can handle the largest container vessels in operation today. The same announcement says the terminal includes a container yard with eight rubber tyred gantry cranes (RTGs), and that port container capacity rose from 150,000 to 500,000 TEUs a year. The operator states it committed up to US$442 million to develop and expand the port.

What it means on site

STS cranes ride a rail track along the quay, so the quay length, rail alignment and pavement that carry them are as much a part of the equipment package as the cranes. A 400m quay with three STS cranes suggests a berth arranged for a few large vessels rather than several small ones, which in general practice affects bollard spacing and crane rail tolerances. Site teams working near the quay should ask to see the handover survey for the crane rail line, and confirm the rail gauge and loadings against the project's specification and engineer before building any adjacent works. The source does not describe those tolerances.

What the source does not establish

This is an operator announcement dated 24 June 2021, so everything reads as of that date. The announcement says the second phase is already underway and describes planned changes: extending the quay from 400 to 1,000 metres, adding seven more STS cranes for ten total, and raising capacity up to two million TEUs a year. Those are announced plans and targets, not achieved results, and the crane count of three refers to the inaugurated first phase. The announcement does not record crane commissioning tests, maintenance arrangements, or the present condition of the terminal, quay or any crane, and it does not say what has happened at Berbera since 24 June 2021.

What to do next

Request the as-built or handover drawings for the container terminal quay from DP World Berbera, then ask the terminal's engineering office to confirm the crane rail gauge, quay loadings and current crane configuration in writing before designing or pricing any works near the berth.

Sources

  1. Berbera container terminal openingDP World, 2021-06-24, dpworld.com. Operator announcement; opening and terminal specifications.

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.