Port of Eden

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The Port of Eden is a small seaport in Twofold Bay adjacent to the town of Eden on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia.
Illawarra Steam Navigation Company's SSBega at Eden in 1903

The bay was first charted by explorer George Bass in 1797[1] and has been used for commercial whaling and fishing since the 1840's.

From the 1850s to 1950s the port was serviced by steamship companies, including the Illawarra Steam Navigation Company.
Industries
The port is a principal export point for timber products, with a trade throughput of more than one million tonnes a year.[2] Each year approximately 800,000 tonnes of woodchips are exported to south-east Asia via the port, as well as 60,000 mass tonnes of softwood timber to Japan and Korea.[3] Woodchip storage and packaging facilities were constructed by Harris Daishowa in 1971.
Facilities
The port consists of two commercial shipping wharves, the Mobil petroleum wharf, a cargo storage area and ancillary facilities.

The Breakwater Wharf caters for the timber industry, the fishing fleet and cruise shipping. Wharf length is 105 metres with depths ranging from three metres to the landward end and 8.8 metres seaward, with a tidal variation of two metres. The wharf itself is concrete with rubber fending.[4]

In 2003 a multi-purpose wharf and munitions facility was constructed to expand naval repair and refit operations and increase the port's timber export capacity by 150,000 tonnes.[2] Wharf length is 200 metres, accessed via a 560 metre timber jetty. Berthing depth is 12 metres but maximum vessel raft is restricted by a low-water fairway depth of 11 metres.[4]

The common-user cargo storage area covers 10 hectares with a gravel surface and sealed internal roads. Storage capacity is estimated to reach 500,000 tonnes in 2010/11.

Port of Bridgetown

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The Port of Bridgetown (officially the Deep Water Harbour[1]) is a seaport in Bridgetown on the west coast of Barbados. Situated along Carlisle Bay, the port handles all of the country's bulk ship based trade and commerce from across the world. In addition to international-shipping the Deep Water Harbour is the port of entry for southern-Caribbean cruise ships. Constructed in 1961, the Deep Water Harbour was created by forming a manmade isthmus across the shallow straight that existed off the coast of Fontabelle, Saint Michael. This isthmus formed new land stretching from the original west coast of Barbados, out to a small uninhabited island nearby named Pelican Island. The port handles roughly 900,000 tonnes of containerised cargo per year.

In December 2008 Minister of International Transport, George Hutson announced that due to congestion between cargo and passenger ships at the Deep Water Harbour the country needs to look at expansion at the facility following the large upgrade undertaken in 2002. Port call

Some of the Cruise Lines which visit or are home ported at the Deep Water Harbour include[1]:

* Carnival Cruise Line
* Celebrity Cruises
* Club Cruises
* Compagnie Des Iles Du Ponant
* Costa Cruise Line
* Crystal Cruises
* Festival Cruises
* Fred Olsen & Co
* Hanseatic Cruises
* Hapag Lloyd
* Holiday Kreuzfahrten
* Holland America Line
* Majestic Cruise Line
* Martime Universal
* Norwegian Cruise Line
* Orient Lines
* P&O Princess
* Passat Ship Management
* Radisson Seven Seas Cruises
* Residensea
* Royal Caribbean International
* Royal Olympic Cruises
* Saga Shipping
* Seabourn/Cunard
* Sea Cloud Cruises
* Seadream Yacht Club Cruises
* Seetours International
* Services Transport
* Silversea Cruises
* Star Clippers
* Sun Cruises
* Swan Hellenic
* Unicom Management
* V-Ships
* Waybell Cruises
* Westria Holdings
* Windjammer Cruises
* Wind Star Cruises

[edit] See also

* Bridgetown
* Pelican Island (Barbados)
* Transport in Barbados
* Shipping Association of Barbados

[edit] References

1. ^ [http://www.caricomlaw.org/doc_dl.php?id=321 CHAPTER 67A DEEP WATER HARBOUR (EXPANSION AND IMPROVEMENT)]

[edit] External links

* Barbados Port Inc - Formerly the Barbados Port Authority
* Aerial photo of the Deep Water Harbour
* Barbados 'best home port' - October 25th, 2006: Barbados NationNews

Ports and harbours of Australia

Ports and harbours of Australia category
* List of ports in Australia

A

* Abbot Point
* Port Adelaide

B

* Bell Bay, Tasmania
* Port of Brisbane

C

* Camden Haven, New South Wales
* Corio Bay

E

* Port of Eden

F

* Fremantle Harbour

H

* Port Hacking
* Hay Point, Queensland


M

* Port of Melbourne
* Morgan, South Australia

N

* Newcastle Port Corporation

O

* Oakajee Port

P

* Port Botany (seaport)
* Port Fairy, Victoria
* Port Giles, South Australia
* Port Hedland, Western Australia
* Port Jackson
* Port Kembla, New South Wales
* Port Musgrave


P cont.

* Port Stephens
* Port of Albany
* Port of Geelong
* Port of Gladstone
* Ports Australia

S

* Shute Harbour
* Sydney Harbour Trust

T

* Tasmanian Ports Corporation

V

* Victor Harbor, South Australia

W

* Weipa, Queensland

Y

* Yamba, New South Wales

Port of Mongla

A brief Histry
It was formerly located at Chalna, about 11 miles (18 km) upstream on the Pusur River, but it is now located 48 km south of Khulna city, as established in 1954. The port is situated at the confluence of the Pashur River and the Mongla River. It lies about 62 miles (100 km) north of the Bay of Bengal and is connected to the major inland river ports and to the rail terminal at Khulna.

The port’s chief exports include jute, leather, tobacco, frozen fish, and shrimp; major imports include grain, cement, fertilizer, coal, and wood pulp. Its population as of 2001 was 56,746.


Mongla Port the second largest seaport located 48 km south of Khulna town. The port was developed initially about 18 km up at Chalna, which was opened to foreign vessels as an anchorage on 11 December 1950. The anchorage was shifted to Mongla in 1954 as the place could accommodate sea-going vessels with greater draughts. The port of Mongla had long retained its name Chalna. Mongla is situated on the confluence of the rivers pasur and Mongla at mouza Selabunia of rampal upazila of bagerhat district. During the Pakistan period, the administration of the port was under a port director, whose main office was at Khulna.
ea-going vessels up to a draught of 25 feet could berth vessels here and those with a draught up to 17 feet were allowed to anchor. Although fairly small, Mongla was a busy port in the past and at times, about two dozen sea going vessels were found anchored here. Later, especially since 1980, the port often remained closed because it lost proper depth required for the ocean-going ships and every time it was reopened after dredging. At present, about 400 ships berth at the port in a year and the port annually handles about 3 million MT of imports and exports. The port has 11 jetties, 7 shades for loading and unloading of goods and 8 warehouses. It uses 12 swinging moorings or floating berthing places in deeper sections in the river. The Mongla Port Authority that now administers the port constructed a rest house for the seamen at a place named Heron Point.

The port has trade links with almost all major ports of the world, although vessels arriving here are mostly from ports of Asia, the Middle East, Australia, Europe and North America and the ships rarely come to Mongla from the countries of Latin America or Africa. In addition to promotion of imports and exports of the country

Port of Chittagong

The Port of Chittagong is the largest seaport in Bangladesh, located by the estuary of the Karnaphuli River in Patenga, near the city of Chittagong. It is a deepwater seaport dominated by trade in containerised manufactured products (especially ready made garments), raw materials and to a lesser extent passengers. It is one of the two main sea port of Bangladesh - most of the export and import of the country are handled via this port. Window berthing system was introduced at the seaport on August 6 2007, enabling the sea port to provide the arrival and departure times of all ships. Two berths at the port terminal are kept in reserve for emergency. In 2006 the port handled 27 million tonnes of cargo and 0.8 million tonnes of containers [1].
Early History
The history of Chittagong port dates back to the fourth century B.C. Malayan history chronicles the journey of the sailor Buddha Gupta from Chittagong to Malaya in the 4th century B.C. [2] The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea documents the existence of Chittagong port in the ancient times. Chittagong derives its name from the Arabic word Shetgang (Shet means delta and Gang the river). The Arab traders considered Chittagong to be the delta of the Ganges.

Chittagong port has been mentioned in the works of Ptolemy, Fa-hien, Hieu-en tsng, lbn Battuta. This was an important port used by the traders from the Middle East, China, Turkey, Europe to trade with this part of the world.

During the 9th century the activities of the port increased tremendously as the Arab traders started using the port as their base port. They used to call the port "Samunda". The port was under their control at the time.

The 16th century saw the arrival of the Portuguese. Joaoda Silveria was the first Portuguese Captain to reach the port. He arrived with his ship “LOPO SOANA” in 1517. The Portuguese named the Port PORTE GRANDE (a great Port ). The records show that the Porte Grande offered easy access and safe anchorage to ships of 20 feet draught.

It remained a port during Moghul time. Later in early 19th century the British took control of the Chittagong port.The port of Chittagong became a natural outlet for the Northeastern regions of the then British-India that led to the enactment of Port Commissioner’s Act of 1887. At that time the facilities of the port consisted of five wooden and one pontoon jetties. In the year 1889-90 the port handled exports totalling 1.25 lac tons [3].
Facilities

For Ocean-Going Vessels:

General Cargo Berths ----------------- 12
Container Berths --------------------- 8

Specialised Berths for Bulk handling:

Dolphin Oil Jetty (For POL) ---------- 1
Grain Silo Jetty --------------------- 1
Cement Clinker Jetty ----------------- 1
TSP Jetty ---------------------------- 1
CUFL Jetty --------------------------- 1
KAFCO Urea Jetty --------------------- 1
Ammonia Jetty ------------------------ 1

Repair Berths

Dry Dock Jetty ----------------------- 2

Mooring Berths

River Mooring ------------------------ 10

For Inland Coasters and Vessels:

Jetty Berths (For (POL) -------------- 1
Concrete Berth (For Grain Handling) -- 1
Pontoon Berths (For POL) ------------- 3
Pontoon Berths (For Cement) ---------- 1
Single Point Mooring ----------------- 10

Port Elizabeth ports in South Africa

Port Elizabeth has been an important port and harbour on the South Africa east coast ever since the first British settlers began arriving from 1820. Today it is a multi cargo port on the western perimeter of Algoa Bay, 384 n.miles southwest of Durban and 423 n.miles east of Cape Town at Longitude 25º 42' E, Latitude 34º 01' S.

The first recorded reference to the area was by the Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias who landed and erected a cross at Kwaaihoek on 12 March 1488. He was followed by Vasco da Gama, another Portuguese explorer who became the first European to discover a sea route to India around Africa, when he passed Algoa Bay in 1497. For several hundred years afterwards the area was noted in navigation charts as a "landing place with fresh water."

Following the arrival of British settlers in 1820 the harbour achieved port status in 1825 with the appointment of a harbour master and collector of customs a year later. In 1836 a surfboat service was provided for the handling of cargo and passengers, with the first jetty constructed in 1837. Forty years later in 1877 Port Elizabeth had developed into the principal port of South Africa with annual exports valued at the equivalent of R6 million.
Modern Port

In spite of this auspicious start, Port Elizabeth remained poorly equipped for the handling of ships, with little protection from the open sea until 1935 when the Charl Malan quay was completed, followed by additional quays leading to today's modern port.

Agriculture and farming has always played an important role in the port's activities, principally deciduous and citrus fruit and the annual wool crop. More recently containers have assumed an prominent role in the fortunes of the harbour, with Port Elizabeth serving its local industrial base and forming an alternate port of call to container ships whenever the Durban or Cape Town container terminals are congested.

Other principal products handled include manganese ore, which is railed from the Northern Cape, and petroleum products which are imported from other South African ports. The motor industry has long been an important industrial activity for the Eastern Cape and the port plays a leading role in this regard and boasts a large open area car terminal. The fishing industry also makes extensive use of the port. There are no major ship repair facilities but a slipway is available for fishing vessel repair. Passenger ships usually make use of one of the fruit terminal berths when calling at Port Elizabeth.

The port's container terminal has three berths totalling 925m in length and a storage area of 22ha with 5,400 ground slots for stacking purposes. The container terminal is equipped with latest generation gantry container cranes and straddle carriers.

The breakbulk terminal has 6 berths (1,170m), two bulk berths totalling 360m and a tanker berth of 242m. The tug, fishery and trawler jetties measure 120m, 165m and 136m respectively.

The port has adequate rail and road links with other parts of the country.

The South African Navy has established a naval station at Port Elizabeth but does not maintain any ships here. In the future much of the port's present commercial activity may be lost to the new and nearby port of Ngqura (Coega) although it appears likely that the car terminal and possibly the container terminal will remain intact.
Port Limitations:

The entrance channel to Port Elizabeth is maintained at a depth of -14.5m Chart Datum and has a generous width of 310m. Limitations on vessels using the port are 11m draught for passenger and dry cargo vessels, 11.2m for container ships, 12.1m for ore carriers and 9.6m for tankers, all according to berthing. Deeper vessels may be accommodated with the permission of the harbour master. Tug assistance and pilotage is compulsory. Ships may anchor outside the port in Algoa Bay provided the approaches to the entrance channel are kept clear.
Marine Craft:

The port has a fleet of three tugs and Pilot services are performed by a pilot or workboat. The port also makes use of a harbour launch/work boat.

These services are available 24 hours a day seven days a week. Dredging services are provided by dredgers from either Durban or Richards Bay as required. The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) maintains a base at Port Elizabeth.
Port Volumes:

Port Elizabeth handled a total of 1,258 ships during the 2008/09 financial year ended 31 March 2009, with a total tonnage of 30,579,299-gt.

Cargo handled during the fiscal year 2005/06 amounted to 10,068,404 tonnes including containers, of which 3,822,038 tonnes was bulk cargo, 864,753t was breakbulk, and 5,381,613 tonnes were containers.

Imports (without containers) amounted to 1,438,998t and exports 3,243,214.

The port handled 398,638 TEUs during 2008/09, of which 213,162 were imports and 185,476 were exports.
Port Facilities:

Port Elizabeth's main features are the container terminal, fruit terminal and manganese terminal. The container terminal has a capacity in excess of 375,000 TEUs and has the advantage of being able to load railway trains directly under the gantry cranes, without containers having to be double handled, thus speeding up delivery to inland destinations.

There are 5,400 ground slots for conventional container handling. The terminal has three quayside gantry cranes and is supported by a number of straddle carriers. Motor vehicle components constitute a large percentage of the container traffic at Port Elizabeth, with other commodities including steel, machinery, wool, and agricultural products making up the balance.

The breakbulk terminal handles a variety of agricultural products including wheat imports and fruit (deciduous and citrus) exports as well as steel, scrap, timber and motor vehicles. At the bulk facility the storage bins have a capacity of 350,000 tonnes of manganese ore, which is the major bulk export from Port Elizabeth. Smaller volumes of other ores are also handled here.

The port offers bunker facilities at berths 13, 14 and 15 (ore and tanker berths), with diesel oil available at the Dom Pedro Quay (trawler quay).

A full range of ships chandling and stevedoring as well as other support services is available. The port houses a yacht club and marina as well as a NSRI base.
Looking ahead:

Port Elizabeth faces losing some of its container business, and in the future all of its dry and liquid bulk traffic to the new port of Ngqura (Coega) which is scheduled to open from the end of 2009. The bulk terminals at Ngqura are however not expected to be developed for some years as TRansnet is locked in to existing contracts at Port Elzaibeth.

Interestingly the as-yet unpublished Port Master Plan makes provision for extending Port Elizabeth harbour with a new quay to the east of and adjacent to the Charl Malan Quay. Whether such a facility will ever be built is open to conjecture although it does fly in the face of the motivation for constructing a new port at Ngqura (Coega) a mere 20km away.

MULTI PURPOSE TERMINALS

Richards Bay MPT specialises in raw and semi-processed materials such as steel, ferro alloys and forest products. The terminal currently operates across seven berths in the port. The terminal has extensive warehousing and covered storage area for sensitive cargo and a huge open storage area comprising 330,000m² for cargo handling. A specialised 75,000m² ferro-alloy handling facility is available.

Products handled at the MPT include: ferro alloys, steel, scrap metal, pig iron, aluminium, project cargo, pitch coke, granite, forest products, containers, loose bulk, and general cargo.

The MPT terminal operates 24 hours a day and is open for 363 days a year. Annual throughput in 2003 was 5.6mt

Contact number for the Richards Bay MPT is: Ms Nikki Mbengashe tel +2735 905 3209, email nikki.mbengashe@transnet.net

Durban Multi Purpose Terminal (MPT)

The port of Durban has two multi purpose terminals handling breakbulk products including steel, ferro-alloys, forest products, granite, rice, fruit, salt, fertiliser and containers.

Durban Multi Purpose Terminal (MPT) is the largest cargo handling facility in the port, operating across 6 berths at the Point (City Terminal), and handles both import and export breakbulk cargo.

The MPT has been consolidated across berths A - E at the Point and is a relativle new deepwater development, although berths F, G and M are now used for motor vehicle handling.



The new City Terminal construction at the Point

The Point MPT facilities incorporate a modern intermodal cargo exchange terminal, a bonded storage facility and expanded cargo and container stacking areas. The historic Point Railway Station builidng facing on Point Road and backing onto the new cargo handling area has been developed as offices and operations centre for the City Terminal.

Products handled at Durban MPT include steel, ferro-alloys, granite, rice, fruit and containers.

Total breakbulk volumes for the Port of Durban during 2008 was 5.9 million tonnes.

Contact number for the City Terminal is: Mr Earle Peters tel +2731 361 8592, email earle.peters@transnet.net


Maydon Wharf MPT

The Maydon Wharf MPT operates across a number of berths at Maydon Wharf principally between berths 8 to 13, with a variety of commodities being handled. The focus is on niche cargo including neo-bulks (salt, fertilisers and other mineral products, steel, scrap metal and forest products).

Contact number for the Maydon Wharf MPT is: Mr Earle Peters tel +2731 361 8592, email earle.peters@transnet.net


TPT's Maydon Wharf multi purpose terminal, berths 9 - 12

East London Multi Purpose Terminal

Transnet Port Terminals operates the port of East London as a single terminal catering for bulk, breakbulk, containers and motor vehicles. The port has since become one of the major car terminal ports of South Africa, utilising two dedicated berths and a multi-level covered parking garage for 2,800 motor vehicles linked by direct access to the nearby DaimlerChrysler factory. The car terminal has a capacity for 50,000 motor units annually (see above).

East London also handles grain imports and exports and petroleum imports.

The port consists of 12 berths, handling bulk, breakbulk, containers and motor vehicles. East London has the largest individual grain elevator in South Africa situated alongside two berths on the West Bank facing the port entrance. Containerised and breakbulk cargo is handled on the East Bank - the container terminal facility relies on ship's own gear and has an annual throughput capacity of 90,000 TEUs.

The East London terminals handled motor vehicles, maize, wheat, sunflower seed, bagged rice, forest products (logs), scrap metals, copra cake and livestock.

East London handled a total of 1.934 million tonnes of bulk and breakbulk cargo and 55,413 TEUs during the 2008 financial year.

Contact number for the East Londin MPT is: tel +2743 700 1117


Port Elizabeth Multi Purpose Terminal

Port Elizabeth MPT manages the port's breakbulk, bulk and motor vehicle cargoes. These commodities include all types of unitised, free-flowing (ie wheat and maize) and ro-ro (motor vehicle) commodities.

Berths 8, 9, 10 and 11 are utilised for breakbulk cargo and include large sheds providing covered storage. Berth 100 handles stern and quarter ramp ro-ro vessels and forms part of the car terminal operation.

The MPT terminal incorporates the main manganese ore exporting facility in South Africa. Other commodities handled at the MPT include deciduous and citrus fruit, motor vehicles, scrap metal, wheat.

Total breakbulk cargo handled at Port Elizabeth MPT during 2008 was 864,753 tonnes.
Bulk cargo handled during 2008 including manganese ore and petroleum products, which are not handled by the MPT, was 3.822mt.

Contact number for the Port Elizabeth MPT is: Hector Danisa tel +2741 507 1800, email hector.danisa@transnet.net

Cape Town Multi Purpose Terminal

Cape Town MPT is situated within the Duncan Dock area and handles a variety of breakbulk and bulk cargoes including fruit, maize, agricultural products, barley, cement, steel, scrap metal, fish, fertiliser, copper, timber.

The terminal operates across seven berths each handling bulk or breakbulk cargo and is serviced with harbour cranes or ship's own gear. The terminal operates between the hours of 06.00 and 22.00 daily Monday to Friday.

Total breakbulk volume handled at the Cape Town during 2008 was 330,000 tonnes.

Contact number for the Cape Town MPT is: tel +2721 449 2405, email

Saldanha Bay Multi Purpose Terminal

South African Port Operations

Operations
List of ports:

* Cape Town
* Durban - "the largest port in Africa" according to the company's website
* East London
* Port Elizabeth
* Richards Bay
* Saldanha Bay - handles South Africa's iron ore exports.

The new port of Ngqura, at Coega, 20 km northeast of Port Elizabeth, scheduled to open in 2006, is funded by Transnet and operated by SAPO.

SAPO operates in four sectors: automotive, container, break-bulk and bulk. A detailed description of the company's operational organization is written at its website's "SA Terminals" section.

The company has budgeted R1.5 bn for improvements in its 2007 fiscal year, according to the operational report at Transne
in South Africa, forming part of the metropolitan municipality of the City of Cape Town. It is the provincial capital of the Western Cape, as well as the legislative capital of South Africa, where the National Parliament and many government offices are situated. Cape Town is famous for its harbour as well as its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, including such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape Point. Cape Town is Africa's most popular destination for tourism.[5]

Located on the shore of Table Bay, Cape Town was originally developed by the Dutch East India Company as a victualling (supply) station for Dutch ships sailing to Eastern Africa, India, and the Far East. Jan van Riebeeck's arrival on 6 April 1652 established the first permanent European settlement in South Africa. Cape Town quickly outgrew its original purpose as the first European outpost at the Castle of Good Hope, becoming the economic and cultural hub of the Cape Colony. Until the Witwatersrand Gold Rush and the development of Johannesburg, Cape Town was the largest city in South Africa.

As of 2007[update] the city had an estimated population of 3.5 million.[3] Cape Town's land area of 2,455 square kilometres (948 sq mi) is larger than other South African cities, resulting in a comparatively lower population density of 1,425 inhabitants per square kilometre (3,690 /sq mi).[2]
Economy
Cape Town is the economic centre of the Western Cape Province, South Africa's second main economic centre and even Africa's second or third main economic hub city. It serves as the regional manufacturing centre in the Western Cape. It also has the primary harbour and airport in the Western Cape. The large government presence in the city, both as the capital of the Western Cape and the seat of the National Parliament, has led to increased revenue and growth in industries that serve the government. Cape Town hosts many conferences, particularly in the new Cape Town International Convention Centre, which opened in June 2003. At the moment as South Africa's second biggest city, it contains more high rise buildings than South Africa's biggest city metropolitan, Johannesburg. The city has recently enjoyed a booming real estate and construction market, because of the 2010 World Cup as well as many people buying summer homes in the city or relocating there permanently. The central business district is under an extensive urban renewal programme, with numerous new buildings and renovations taking place under the guidance of the Cape Town Partnership.[12] The central business district is expecting a private-sector investment influx of ZAR30-35billion (US$5–6billion) over the next 5 years, confirmed by the Partnership.[citation needed]

Cape Town has four major commercial nodes, with Cape Town Central Business District containing the majority of job opportunities and office space. Century City, the Bellville/TygerValley strip and Claremont commercial nodes are well established and contain many offices and corporate headquarters as well. Most companies headquartered in the city are insurance companies, retail groups, publishers, design houses, fashion designers, shipping companies, petrochemical companies, architects and advertising agencies.

Much of the produce is handled through the Port of Cape Town or Cape Town International Airport. Most major shipbuilding companies have offices and manufacturing locations in Cape Town.[13] The Province is also a centre of energy development for the country, with the existing Koeberg nuclear power station providing energy for the Western Cape's needs. Recently, oil explorers have discovered oil and natural gas off the coast in the Atlantic Ocean.[14]

The Western Cape is an important tourist region in South Africa; the tourism industry accounts for 9.8% of the GDP of the province and employs 9.6% of the province's workforce. In 2004, over 1.5 million international tourists visited the area.[15]

The mining industry in Cape Town has been booming for the last 6 years. 6000 miners are now employed in the mining industry since 2002.[citation needed]

The city was recently named as the most entrepreneurial city in South Africa, with the percentage of Capetonians pursuing business opportunities almost three times higher than the national average. Those aged between 18-64 were 190% more likely to pursue new business, whilst in Johannesburg, the same demographic group was only 60% more likely than the national average to pursue a new business

TRANSNET PORT TERMINALS

TRANSNET PORT TERMINALS (previously known as South African Port Terminals or SAPO) is a division of Transnet Ltd with responsibility of managing a series of cargo handling terminals within the ports of South Africa.

The total of 14 terminals managed by Transnet Port Terminals include the country's four main container terminals situated at Durban (2), Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, three car terminals at Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth (the two at Durban and East London are acknowledged as being world class), and the modern iron ore bulk terminal at Saldanha Bay.

In 2001 Transnet Port Terminals relocated its headquarters from Johannesburg to Durban to be closer to the Durban port, the largest and busiest harbour in southern Africa. Shortly afterwards the various operations at the six commercial ports of Richards Bay, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and Saldanha Bay were reorganised into the 14 separate terminals, as follows:

Richards Bay
Multi Purpose Terminal
Dry Bulk Terminal

Durban
Durban Container Terminal
Pier 1 Container Terminal
Durban Car Terminal
Multi Purpose Terminal (City Terminals)
Maydon Wharf Multi Purpose Terminal

East London Terminals
(incorporates the Car, Container and Multi Purpose Terminals)

Port Elizabeth
Container Terminal
Multi Purpose Terminal (incorporates the Car Terminal)

Cape Town
Cape Town Container Terminal
Multi Purpose Terminal

Saldanha Bay
Iron Ore Terminal
Multi Purpose Terminal

(see under each terminal for contact details)

The creation of each terminal was directed at ensuring that the company, and as a result the country's ports, are globally competitive. This is being accomplished by attaining sustainable and profitable customer-centric business while improving Transnet Port Teminal's status as a key business partner.

This entailed Transnet Port Terminals moving to a healthy profit base while at the same time re-engineering the business processes to effectively streamline interaction between customers and itself.

A renewal programme including building up the infrastructure, equipment and systems at the terminals to meet customer requirements has been initiated. These projects included the procurement of new straddle carriers, shoreside gantry cranes, reach stackers and other equipment necessary for the efficient handling of cargo. Two state-of-the-art car terminals have been developed at Durban and East London and an electronic communication system known as COSMOS was installed throughout all terminals. The Navis™ SPARCS N4 system has been introduced at the Pier 1 Container Terminal and TPT is poised to introduce the operating system from a central lcoation in Durban across 21 marine and rail terminals by 2010 to offer a single point-of-entry to customers irrespective of where they conduct their businesss in South Africa. SPARCS N4 is designed to provide TPT customers with a seamless and integrated service across the port and rail environment.

An earlier development by TPT was the introduction of a General Cargo Operational System (GCOS) developed internally by Transnet Port Terminals - an advanced system that tracks cargo in the terminal environment and ensures the cargo is loaded onto the right vessel at the right time. GCOS offers instant access to cargo information, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. As a result of the success of GCOS it is possible to access real time information and on-lin

Mainland to open 5 more ports for direct shipping with Taiwan

he ports to be opened are in the provinces of Anhui, Shandong and Zhejiang, said Song Dexing, director of the Water Transport Department with the Ministry of Transport, at a round table meeting on direct shipping across the Taiwan Straits.

On November 4 last year, the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) signed in Taipei protocols on direct shipping, air transport and postal services, which allowed regular civilian planes and ships to directly cross the Taiwan Straits. On December 15, the "three direct links" were formally launched, ending a 59-year ban in this regard.

Under the earlier agreement, the mainland will open 63 ports to Taiwan ships while Taiwan will open 11, and the two sides might increase the number of ports based on a "developing situation."

At Saturday's meeting, Song also announced eight other moves the mainland will take to further boost the cross-Straits direct shipping, such as facilitating sandstone transport, exemption of some taxes, establishment of representatives offices and enhancing maritime safety.

The round table meeting was held as one of the 18 activities for the Straits Forum that opens Saturday evening in the mainland city Xiamen, which faces Taiwan across sea. About 150 participants from both sides attended the meeting.

The forum, to run until May 22, features 18 activities including the centerpiece conference, a trade fair, a cultural week, a tourism forum and a seminar on traditional Chinese medicine. It will be co-hosted by Fuzhou, Quanzhou and Putian, three cities in southeastern China's Fujian Province.

The week-long Straits Forum expects more than 8,000 Taiwan guests, including mayors and magistrates of 25 Taiwan cities and counties as well as heads of key trade organizations on the island.

Hualien Port

Hualien Port lies on Taiwan's eastern shores facing the Pacific Ocean, backed by the Central Mountain Range. Hualien City is the capital of Hualien County, and it is home to about 110 thousand souls.

Port History

Hualien Port is an artificial harbor constructed in the 1930s. Hualien Port has been expanded several times to support the local economy and industrial development on the east coast of Taiwan. In 1963, Hualien Port was recognized as one of four Taiwanese international ports, and it was opened to international commerce.

As early as 1622, Spanish colonists attempted to mine gold in Hualien Port. However, the permanent settlement did not begin to grow until 1851, when 2200 Han Chinese farmers came to Fengchuan from Taipei. More farmers from Yilan followed them in 1875.

Hualien Port was ceded, with the rest of Taiwan, to Japan after the Sino-Japanese War of the mid-1890s. At that time, there were not many people living in Hualien Port. Hualien Port was originally called Kilai. In the early 20th Century, the Japanese administration changed its name to Karen because the word "kilai" sounded like the Japanese word for "dislike."

In the early 20th Century, Hualien Port expanded to take in Guohua, a region later called Old New Port. Then in 1923, Hualien Port took in Aolang Port (now New Port) which contained Gouwei. The Hualien County government was established in 1946.

After World War II, when Japan surrendered, the island of Taiwan was of uncertain sovereignty. During the Chinese Civil War in 1949, having lost the war, Chiang Kai-shek led the Kuomintang in escaping mainland China, landing in the largest city in Taiwan, Taipei, from where they claimed to be the sole Chinese government. About two million Chinese soldiers, intellectuals, and business elites also came to Taiwan in their escape from the mainland. The political status of Taiwan has been cloudy. China has long claimed that the island belongs to China, yet the Chinese living on Taiwan insist that it is independent, calling itself the Republic of China.

Hualien Port is located in a beautiful natural landscape near one of the country's most beautiful national parks, the Taroko National Park.

Port Commerce

The Hualien Harbor Bureau (Chinese), the port authority for Hualien Port, was established in 1963 when Hualien Port was opened to international traffic. The Hualien Harbor Bureau works to promote the growth of the shipping business through infrastructure and facility improvements and administrative efficiencies while also controlling pollution. Today, the Hualien Port is developing a waterfront recreation area in Hualien Port to support increased tourism and provide more recreational opportunities to the city's residents.

In the decades since becoming an international port, Hualien Port has undergone four major expansions, growing from three to 25 berths with capacity to handle 34 million tons of cargo each year. Hualien Port has six warehouses (covering almost 33 thousand square meters with capacity for 81.5 thousand tons of cargo) and 38 storage yards covering more than 350 thousand square meters with capacity for over 519 thousand tons of cargo.

In 2008, Hualien Port welcomed 2236 incoming vessels. Of that total, 1444 were ordinary cargo vessels, 646 were bulk carriers, 40 were tankers, and three were passenger vessels. Hualien Port handled more than 17.4 million metric tons of cargo in 2008. Hualien Port imported 2.9 million metric tons, including 892.3 thousand metric tons of non-metallic minerals, 826 thousand metric tons of forestry products, 630.4 thousand metric tons of non-metallic mineral products, and 375.7 thousand metric tons of chemical products. Hualien Port handled over 13.9 million metric tons of exports, including 8.6 million metric tons of non-metallic minerals and 5.3 million metric tons of non-metallic minerals.

Hualien Port is located in the northeastern area of Hualien City. Hualien Port covers 172 hectares of land surface and over 136 hectares of water surface. Hualien Port's eastern breakwater is over four thousand meters long, and includes 917 meters for the fishing port. Hualien Port's western breakwater is over one thousand meters. The access channel to Hualien Port is 240 meters wide and from 16.4 to 19.6 meters deep. The outer port turning basin has a diameter of 700 meters and a depth from 14 to 15 meters. The inner port navigation channel is 1120 meters long, and the inner port turning basin has a diameter of 200 meters and depth of 10.5 meters.

Hualien Port contains 25 wharves with a total length of 4742 meters. There are 16 wharves in the inner port and nine wharves in the outer port. General goods are handled at 13 of the wharves, while gravel and minerals are handled at six wharves. Four wharves handle cement, and one wharf handles coal. Three non-service wharves in Hualien Port handle public affairs ships, guard ships, and support vessels. The inner port contains 15 warehouses, two 8-thousand ton capacity cement silos, and a clinker silo. The outer port has two five-thousand ton capacity cement silos. Hualien Port has 38 stacking yards overall that provide storage for minerals and gravel.

The inner harbor wharves at Hualien Port are a total of 2455 meters long and handle cement, general goods, gravel, minerals, and passengers. There are also multi-functional wharves and non-cargo-handling wharves in the inner harbor. Hualien Port's Wharves 8, 10, and 13 handle cement and are a total of 587 meters in length with alongside depth of 9.5 meters and maximum permissible draft of 9.1 meters. Wharf 8 can accommodate vessels to 15 thousand DWT, while Wharves 10 and 13 can accommodate vessels to 12 thousand DWT.

Also in Hualien Port's inner harbor, Wharf 14 handles general goods and can accommodate vessels to 12 thousand DWT. The wharf is 200 meters long with alongside depth of 9.5 meters and permissible maximum draft of 9.1 meters. Handling general goods and gravel, Wharf 7 is 120 meters long with alongside depth of 6.5 meters and maximum permissible draft of 6 meters. Wharf 7 can accommodate ships to four thousand DWT.

Hualien Port's Wharves 5 and 6, are a total of 310 meters long with alongside depth of 8.5 meters and permissible maximum draft of 8 meters, and they can accommodate vessels to 10 thousand DWT. Minerals are handled at Wharf 11, which is 185 meters long with alongside depth of 9.5 meters and maximum permissible draft of 9.1 meters, and which can accommodate vessels to 12 thousand DWT. Wharf 4 can accommodate vessels to 10 thousand DWT carrying general goods and oil. Wharf 4 is 160 meters long with alongside depth of 8.5 meters and maximum permissible draft of 8 meters.

Wharves 15 and 16 in Hualien Port's inner harbor serve passengers. They are a total of 230 meters long and can accommodate vessels to six thousand DWT. Wharf 15 is 86 meters long with alongside depth of 8.5 meters and maximum permissible draft of 8 meters, while Wharf 16 is 144 meters long with alongside depth of 7.5 meters and maximum permissible draft of 7 meters.

Hualien Port's multi-functional Wharves 1-3 are a total of 410 meters long with alongside depth of 7.5 meters and maximum permissible draft of 7 meters. Each wharf can accommodate vessels of six thousand DWT. Wharves 9 and 12 are non-operations wharves.

The nine wharves in the outer harbor of Hualien Port are a total of 2287 meters long and handle cement, general goods, sand and gravel, and oil. There is also a multi-functional wharf in the outer harbor. Hualien Port's Wharf 19 handles general goods and oil. It is 310 meters long with alongside depth of 14 meters, and it can accommodate vessels to 60 thousand DWT with maximum draft of 13 meters.

Handling cement, Hualien Port's Wharf 18 is 200 meters long with alongside depth of 12 meters, and it can accommodate vessels to 30 thousand DWT with maximum draft of 10.5 meters. Handling general goods, Wharves 24 and 25 in Hualien Port are a total of 603 meters long with alongside depths from 13 to 14.5 meters, and they can accommodate vessels to 60 thousand DWT with maximum drafts of 13 and 14.5 meters.

Wharves 17 and 20-22 in Hualien Port handle sand and gravel. Wharf 17 is 200 meters long with alongside depth of 12 meters, and it can accommodate vessels to 30 thousand DWT with maximum draft of 10.5 meters. Wharves 20, 21, and 22 are a total of 702 meters long with alongside depth of 14 meters, and they can accommodate vessels to 60 thousand DWT with maximum draft of 13 meters. Hualien Port's Wharf 23, at 272 meters long with alongside depth of 14 meters, is a multi-functional wharf that can accommodate vessels to 60 thousand DWT with maximum draft of 13 meters

Taiwan mayor channels port's

SHANGHAI: Chen Chu, mayor of Kaohsiung and a senior figure in Taiwan's main opposition party, finished her mainland tour in Shanghai by promoting a knowledge exchange between the two cities' ports.

Chen, the highest ranked official of the Democratic Progressive Party to visit the mainland, saw the Yangshan Deepwater Port yesterday before heading home from the city's Pudong International Airport.

"The ports at Yangshan and Kaohsiung have different environments and functions, and can co-operate in the future," she said. "Kaohsiung government will act accordingly to support."

Impressed by the size of the facility, Chen said Kaohsiung port, which has dropped from being the third largest container port in the world to the 12th, would learn a lot from Yangshan port.

Direct shipping between Yangshan and Kaohsiung started on Dec 14 last year but the amount of cargo being handled is still less than expected, although it has increased in the last two months as businesses start to recover from the economic downtown, said Lee Yung-Te, vice-mayor of Kaohsiung.

On Saturday, Chen gave Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng an invitation to the upcoming 2009 World Games in Kaohsiung in July, while Han invited Chen to the Shanghai 2010 World Expo.

Chartered direct flights between Shanghai and Kaohsiung began last year and Han said it had "brought our two cities closer".

Tickets for the opening ceremony of the games, which will be Taiwan's largest international sporting event, are already sold out, while vendors have sold 70 percent for the closing ceremony.

Ted Lin, general manager of the city's Grand Hi-Lai Hotel, said it was almost fully booked during the games, and added: "At least 30 percent of the guests will be tourists from the mainland."

On Saturday he appealed for more tours to be arranged to Kaohsiung because "tourists only see half of Taiwan if they don't come to Kaohsiung".

An eight-day tour from Shanghai to Taiwan costs around 5,000 yuan ($730). However, visitor numbers to the island have fallen this month due the outbreak o

Port of Kolkata

The Port of Kolkata is a riverine port in the city of Kolkata, India. It is the oldest operating port in India, having originally been constructed by the British East India Company.

The Port has two distinct dock systems - Kolkata Docks at Kolkata and a deep water dock at Haldia Dock Complex, Haldia.

In the 19th century Kolkata Port was the premier port in British India. After independence its importance decreased because of factors including the Partition of Bengal (1947), reduction in size of the port hinterland and economic stagnation in eastern India. In the 21st century due to the east Indian economic recovery and infrastructure improvements, the port grew swiftly to become the nation's second largest container port. It was one of India's fastest growing ports in 2004-05.
History
olkata Port was set up by the British East India Company after the company received trading rights from the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

Following the shift of power from the company to the British crown, a port commission was set up in 1870. Though the port was conceived to be a commercial port and gateway of eastern India, the port played a very important role in the Second World War. It was bombed twice by the Japanese forces. After the independence, the Commissioners for the Port of Kolkata was in responsibility of the port till January 1975 when Major Port Trusts Act, 1963, came into force.

Singapore Port

The Port of Singapore refers to the collective facilities and terminals that conduct maritime trade handling functions in Singapore's harbours and which handle Singapore's shipping. Currently the world's busiest port in terms of total shipping tonnage, it also tranships a fifth[1] of the world's shipping containers as the world's busiest container port, half of the world's annual supply of crude oil, and is the world's busiest transshipment port. It was also the busiest port in terms of total cargo tonnage handled until 2005, when it was surpassed by the Port of Shanghai. Thousands of ships drop anchor in the harbour, connecting the port to over 600 other ports in 123 countries and spread over six continents.
Ships laying at anchor outside the Port of Singapore.

The Port of Singapore is not a mere economic boon, but an economic necessity due to the fact that Singapore is lacking in land and natural resources. The Port is critical for importing natural resources, and then later re-exporting them after they have been refined and shaped in some manner, for example wafer fabrication or oil refining to generate revenue. Only then can the service industry such as hospitality services typical of a port of call, for example, restocking a ship's food and water supplies, take their role. The Straits of Johor is currently impass
Operations
The port is the world's busiest port in terms of shipping tonnage handled, with 1.15 billion gross tons (GT) handled in 2005. In terms of cargo tonnage, Singapore is behind Shanghai with 423 million freight tons handled. The port retains its position as the world's busiest hub for transshipment traffic in 2005, and is also the world's biggest bunkering hub, with 25 million tonnes sold in the same year.[5]

Singapore is ranked first globally in 2005 in terms of containerised traffic, with 23.2 million Twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) handled. High growth in containerised traffic has seen the port overtaking Hong Kong since the first quarter of 2005,[6] and has led the race ever since, with an estimated 19,335 TEUs handled in the year up to October, compared to 18,640 TEUs handled in Hong Kong in the same period. A rise in regional traffic consolidating the port's position in Southeast Asia, and increases in transshipment traffic using the strategic East Asia-Europe route via Singapore helped the port to emerge tops at the end of the year, a title it had not held since overtaking Hong Kong once in 1998.
Operators
PSA Singapore's container facilities are as follows:

* Container berths: 44
* Quay length: 12,800 m
* Area: 436 hectares
* Max draft: 16 m
* Quay cranes: 143
* Designed capacity: 24,700 kTEU

PSA Singapore has 13 berths which are part of the Pasir Panjang Container Terminal's Phase Two which are due for completion by 2009. Phase Three and Four will add another 16 berths and are expected to be completed by 2013.[7]

Jurong Port's facilities are as follows:

* Berths: 23
* Berth length: 4,545 m
* Maximum vessel draft: 16 m
* Maximum vessel size: 150,000 metric tons deadweight (DWT)
* Area: 1.2 km² Free Trade Zone, 320,000 m² non-Free Trade Zone
* Warehouse facilities: 280,000 m²

PSA Singapore also has a 40-year contract to operate the tax-free Gwadar Port on the southwestern coast of Pakistan. Gwadar started operation in March 2008, with 3 multi-purpose berths, a 602 meter quay, and 12.5 meter depth. Another 9 berths are under construction, with a 20 meter depth.
Terminals
Port Operator Type Berths Quay length Quay cranes Area (Ha) Capacity (kTEU)
Brani (BT) PSA Container 9 2,629 29 79
Cosco-PSA (CPT) Cosco/PSA Container 2 720 m 22.8 >1,000
Jurong JTC Multi-Purpose 23 4,547 152
Keppel (KT) PSA Container 14 3,220 37 96
Pasir Panjang (PPT) Phase 1 PSA Container 6 1,885 19 71
Pasir Panjang (PPT) Phase 2A PSA Container 4 1,700 19 63 >4,000
Pasir Panjang (PPT) Phase 2B PSA Container 4 (1 under construction) 1,246 16 56 2,800
Pasir Panjang (PPT) Phase 2C PSA Container 7 (under construction) 5,600
Pasir Panjang (PPT) Phase 2D PSA Container 5 (under construction)
Pasir Panjang (PPT) Phase 3 PSA Container
Pasir Panjang (PPT) Phase 4 PSA Container
Pasir Panjang Wharves PSA General
Sembawang PSA General
Tanjong Pagar (TPT) PSA Container 8 2,320 27 80

[edit] Film coverage

Gwadar port

Gwadar Port is a deep-sea, warm-water port situated at Gwadar in Balochistan province of Pakistan at the apex of the Arabian Sea and at the entrance of the Persian Gulf, about 460 km west of Karachi and approximately 75 km east of Pakistan's border with Iran.

The Port is located on the eastern bay of a natural hammer-head protrusion of land jutting out into the Arabian Sea from Pakistan's Makran coastline.

The Port is being constructed in two phases with heavy investment from China. Technical and financial feasibility studies were commenced by Pakistan in 1993 but construction did not start until 2002 when the Port of Singapore Authority was hired for its management.

Gwadar Port became operational in 2008, with the first ship to dock bringing 52000 tonnes of wheat from Canada. Minister of Ports and Shipping Sardar Nabil Ahmed Khan Gabol officially inaugurated the port on 21 December 2008.[1]
The Gwadar port background

Gwadar district, with its 600 kilometres long coast line and un-irrigated tracts of Kulanch and Dasht valleys, has always been an important chapter of Makran’s history. The known history of Makran goes back to the time of prophet Dawood when people entombed themselves to avoid famine. The area is said to be possessed by Iranian King Kaus followed by Afrasiab of Turan and then by Kai Khusrau, again an Iranian. Then there is a long list of rulers, including Lehrasp, Gushtasp, Bahman, Huma and Darab, to the year 325 BC when Alexander the Great incidentally found the sea in this area on his way from India to Macedonia. Greek historian Arrian has mentioned the coast line as the country of Ichthyophagoi. At that time Nearchos, the admiral of Alexander, sailed along the coast and mentioned places named Kalmat, Gwadar, Pishukan and Chahbar. Afterwards, the area was ruled by Seleukos Nikator, one of Alexander’s generals, who lost it to Chandragupta in 303 BC. Then the tract of history is lost in darkness for centuries. An account of this area is found in the beginning of the sixteenth century when the Portuguese found their way to India and captured several places along the Makran coast. In 1581 they burnt “the rich and beautiful city of Pasni” and Gwadar. Although many invaders conquered the land, mostly the local rulers, including Hots, Rinds, Maliks, Buledais and Gichkis, exercised authority in the area as the conquerors had no intentions to stay there.

Two regimes of local rulers, of Buledais and Gichkis, are worth mentioning here. The Buledais gained power with the rise of the Zikri sect. These rulers are said to be connected with the rulers of Maskat and were called Buledais with reference to the valley of Buleda where they resided. The Buledais ruled the area for more than a century up to the year 1740. In the last years of their regime they embraced Islam. The Zikri folk joined hands with the Gichkis who also were Zikris by faith. The family feuds and internal dissension between Gichkis resulted in nine successful expeditions (either partially or fully) by Mir Nasir Khan I. It is said, that the main motive behind all these expeditions, made by Mir Nasir Khan I, was to eliminate the Zikris as he belonged to the (anti-Zikri) Muslim faith. These expeditions resulted in a division of revenues between the Khan and Gichkis.

In the last quarter of the eighteenth century, Gwadar and the surrounding country fell into the hands of Maskat. Saiad Said succeeded to the masnad of Muscat in 1783 and had a dispute with his brother Saiad Sultan. The latter appears to have fled to Makran and entered into communication with Nasir Khan who granted him the Kalat share of the revenues of Gwadar. Saiad Sultan lived at Gwadar for some time and eventually succeeded in usurping the Sultanate of Maskat in 1797. He died in 1804 and during his sons reign, the Buledai chief of Sarbaz, Mir Dosten, is said to have acquired temporary possession of Gwadar, but a force sent from Maskat regained it. Although it is generally understood that the right of sovereignty in Gwadar was transferred by the Khans of Kalat to Maskat in perpetuity, the Khans and natives of Gwadar have always denounced this perception. The un-irrigated tracts of Kulanch and Dasht valleys have always been connected with Kech.

The first Afghan war (1838-39) directed attention of the British to the area. Major Goldsmith visited the area in 1861 and an Assistant Political Agent was appointed in Gwadar in 1863. Both Pasni and Gwadar have been ports of call for the steamers of the British India Steam Navigation Company. The first ever telegraphic link to this area was made in 1863 when Gwadar was linked to Karachi. Telegraph offices were opened at Gwadar and Pasni. Later post offices were opened at Gwadar in 1894 and at Pasni in 1903. Ormara was linked telegraphically in 1904.[1]

After the division of the Indian subcontinent into two sovereign states, areas except Gwadar and its surroundings, joined the Balochistan States Union, as part of Makran state. In early 1949 along with Kalat, Lasbela and Kharan. In October 1955, Makran was given the status of a district of former West Pakistan province after its accession to Pakistan. In 1958, Gwadar and its surrounding area was reverted back from Maskat to Pakistan and was made a tehsil of Makran district. On 1st July 1970, when one unit was dissolved and Balochistan gained the status of a province, Makran became one of its 8 districts. On 1st July 1977, Makran was declared a division and was divided into three districts, named Panjgur, Turbat (renamed Kech) and Gwadar. Gwadar was notified as a district on July 1, 1977 with its headquarters at Gwadar town.
Gwader Port Project" and its future as Bigger than Dubai
The April 2002 inauguration of Gwadar seaport with Chinese collaboration in southern Balochistan on the Arabian Sea coast is likely to open up new vistas of cooperation and development in the region. The port is strategically located on the opposite end of the Gulf of Oman and the Straits of Hormuz on the mouth of the Persian Gulf.

China is involved in the construction and development of the above seaport on the Arabian coastline. Once completed and functional, it may have positive spin off for the Chinese western Muslim Autonomous Republic of Xinjiang, formerly called Eastern Turkestan. The republic of Xinjiang is contiguous to Central Asian countries, viz, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

With nearly 35 percent of share in international trade, China is a leading country in textile production, contributing to one-fifth of the world's garment industry. The garment export in 2001 increased to $36.1 billion -- nearly 50 times from 1978. Currently, China's eastern seaboard region is the hub of economic activity. Xinjiang region suffers from economic under-development and some separatist trends from its dominant Uighur Muslims. Hence, China is thinking of seriously catapulting the region into fast track development.

Building of the Karakorum Highway in the 1970s linking Xinjiang with the northern regions of Pakistan and now the proposed development of Gwadar seaport in southern Balochistan along the Arabian Sea could be another hallmark of Sino-Pakistan friendship. Needless to say that the Chinese have an admirable record of completing major projects in time with their friends.

In the next decade or so, China intends to earmark $90 billion for developing its mid-west and western regions. Last year, $200 billion was loaned to western regions for infrastructure development, proximate to Pakistan's northern region. Incidentally, the southern tip of Xinjiang is as far away as 4500 km to the eastern coast of China whereas it is only 2500 km from the port of Pakistan. This makes it feasible and cost-effective to carry out trade (exports and imports) through ports that are neighbouring to the Gulf, Africa, Central Asia and Europe.

The Gwadar port project was started in 1992 but was held up in abeyance due to political instability in Pakistan, following change of the Nawaz Sharif government. Initially, Holland was approached for financing the project but to no avail. Later, Oman was approached, which has a large Balochi population. Although Sultan Qaboos expressed interest in the development of the region, the Opposition parties in Pakistan assailed the government for 'handing' the port over to the US government after the end of Iran-Iraq war and the increased US interests in the Gulf.

It is conjectured that once the Gwadar port complex is completed, nearly twenty countries of the Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia could benefit from the mega-project. The complex will provide facilities of warehousing, trans-shipment, transit and coastal trade, commercial and industrial openings for international export-import trade. This is especially from and to Afghanistan, the CARs, Persian Gulf states, UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, Iran and other countries.

The Chinese government is providing a soft loan of $198 million while the Pakistani government has contributed $50 million for the first phase of this mega- project that would be completed in three phases in three years. Of late, Balochistan, a neglected and backward province, has started getting increased attention from the Pakistani government. It has, for example, five modern airports, with several flights a week, linking Mekran with the rest of the country and the Gulf region. A modern mini-port is under operation at Pasni.

The Chinese are also helping in laying the White Oil Pipeline project from Port Qasim near Karachi to Muhmood Kot near Multan. This pipeline is to be constructed with the collaboration of Pak-Arab Pipeline Company (PAPCO) and China Petroleum and Engineering Construction Company (CPECC) with transport of 12 million tonnes of white oil products across Pakistan that would fulfil 75 per cent of Pakistani oil and transportation needs.

Allied to Gwadar, the coastal region of Balochistan is also expected to get an economic boost with the construction of a 700-km coastal highway, linking Karachi on the east with Jiwani to the west, close to the Iranian border. Pakistani's National Highway Authority (NHA) and the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) are charged with the responsibility to build this road that will ultimately link Gwadar with the rest of the world. This will start simultaneously and will be completed by the time the port is built in three years time.

Establishment of railway link with Gwadar to Taftan in Iran via Saindak is being planned. Saindak, the first metallurgical project, lying dormant since 1995 for production of copper and gold, is being revived with the Chinese help at the cost of $30 million. A parallel road from Gwadar to Saindak, running parallel to the Iran-Pakistan border will make it the shortest route to reach Central Asia from the warm waters of Arabian Sea. Another 515-km long highway connecting Gwadar via Panjgpur, Khaan, Chaghi and Rabat up to Herat in eastern Afghanistan is on the drawing boards. This would link up Pakistan directly by road with the CARs.

The Saindak project aims at production of gold and blister copper. In the event a refinery is not set up in the region, the blister copper will have to be transported to China and then the refined product brought back for export, which will entail high expenditure. Also, alternatively, it would have to secure the services of a refinery in Surchasma copper plant in neighbouring Iran, which is also expensive.

After the completion of the seaport, successful marketing of the port management to potential customers, building of export processing zone, trans-shipment and warehousing facilities, fixing of port tariffs for shipping companies in order to be competitive, there is a need for a professional and well qualified human resource port staff. Also, construction of Mirani Dam for power and irrigation is being started soon.

All these positive developments if and when brought to fruition may ultimately help the CARs to actively participate as ECO members and help open channels through Pakistan by minimising the Russian routes. For Afghanistan, a landlocked country and desperately needing export outlet, the construction of Gwadar port complex will help in boosting economic rehabilitation and activity. Any movement of goods to and fro from Balochistan will benefit Afghan transit trade as well as the former's export of minerals and dry fruit. Besides, the port facilities could provide Afghanistan and the CARs warehousing facilities along with transit and possibilities of import of goods.

In order to become an entrepot, Gwadar port could also help in promoting tourism, spawning of ancillary industries such as fishing, shipbuilding and marine industry. It could set up export-free and industrial zones. But for this to eventuate, the political situation in Afghanistan has to normalise soon and the war-wrecked country to return to a modicum of peace and stability. In addition, the launching of such ambitious plans for the development of Gwadar seaport could serve as a catalyst for fast track development and transformation of Balochistan from a primitive, tribal society into 21st century. Thus the plans for the development of Gwadar port through the Chinese support and help is an auspicious start, albeit it should have been done by governments right after Pakisan.

Sharjah’s ports

Sharjah’s ports

In 1998 Sharjah Ports Authority's twin container terminals at Mina Khalid and Khor Fakkan recorded a 5.58 per cent rise in throughput to 863,527 TEU. The jump in traffic was achieved against the backdrop of the economic downturn felt in many parts of the globe. Container throughput through Mina Khalid rose to 80,176 TEU from 64,564 TEU the previous year, a record 24.18 per cent growth. Traffic through Khor Fakkan on the UAE’s east coast rose 4.33 per cent to 750,817 TEU, the performance being attributed to the quality of services. Statistics show sustained growth in overall throughput, rising 26.68 per cent from 500,700 TEU in 1994 to 634,284 TEU in 1995, to 708,462 TEU in 1996, up 11.69 per cent, and 815,381 TEU in 1997, up 15.09 per cent.

The newly-commissioned 350-metre long deepwater berth at Khor Fakkan will increase the port's annual throughput capacity to more than 1.5 million TEU, confirming the Khor Fakkan Container Terminal (KCT) as one of the leading container transhipment facilities in the region. Part of a multi-million dollar rolling improvement programme, the berth extension brings KCT's total quay length to 1,060 meters and adds a further 100,000 square meters of paved stacking area.

During the berth construction a comprehensive dredging programme was completed, and the depth alongside berths, the enlarged turning circle and port approaches, are all now 15 meters at MLW, enabling the world's largest container ships to access the port with ease. Progressively, over the past few years, new container handling equipment has been introduced to maximize handling efficiency. The port now has eight Post Panamax and Super Post Panamax ship-to-shore gantry cranes, the two recent and largest of which can handle vessels stowed 18 containers across. KCT has four rail-mounted yard gantries and six state-of-the-art rubber tyred gantries (RTGs) and is taking delivery of four more RTGs from Liebherr.

Dubai Port

Introduction
Dubai Ports Authority

Dubai Ports Authority, which operates Port Rashid and Jebel Ali port, the biggest man made port in the world, won two top awards for the Middle East region as the Best Seaport and the Best Container Terminal Operator at the Thirteenth Asian Freight Industry Awards for 1999. DPA facilities have a total of 102 deepwater berths, 23 container gantry cranes and four Super Post Panamax cranes, covering 10 container terminal berths. More than 100 shipping lines are served by DPA.

In 1998 DPA reported an increase of 8 per cent in handling container cargo reaching a record of 2.8 million TEU, while a total of 11,316 vessels called at DPA's twin terminals, including 4,898 container vessels, 6 per cent more than the previous year. The total tonnage handled in 1998 rose to 36,424,403 tones.

Dubai Ports Authority has predicted that its annual cargo volume will not be affected in 1999 despite a reduction of 250,000 containers each year due to a decision by Maersk and Sealand to shift some of their operations to a neighboring port in Oman.


Considering the important role that airports and ports play in economic progress it is no wonder that the UAE has developed a highly sophisticated air and sea network, with six major international airports and 15 modern, well-equipped seaports connecting the country to global markets.

ABU DHABI

Abu Dhabi Civil Aviation Department was established 30 years ago, with the aim of promoting air transport in the emirate. The Department’s open skies policy is designed to assist the emirate to take a strong competitive position in the field of civil aviation at both a regional and international level. Abu Dhabi’s strategic location has also played a major role in helping it to become one of the most important traffic centers in the region and a vital crossroads between Europe and Asia. In addition to Abu Dhabi International Airport (ADIA), another international airport was opened in 1994 in Al Ain city to meet the increasing needs of the region and enhance economic and tourist development projects.

New city terminal

Port of Algiers

Port Detail Satellite Map Port of Call Local Views Shipping
Port of Algiers

The Port of Algiers (El-Jazair in Arabic) is the capital and main seaport of Algeria in northern Africa. Built on the slopes of the Sahel Hills, Port of Algiers stretches for ten miles along the Bay of Algiers. The Port of Algiers is located about half-way between the Port of Dellys to the east and the Port of Cherchell to the west on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Its name comes from the Arabic word al-jaza'ir, meaning "the islands." In 2004, almost 1.8 million people lived in the Port of Algiers.

The Port of Algiers is the most important seaport in North Africa, and it is an important economic, financial, and commercial center for Algeria. Despite this, the Port of Algiers has one of the highest costs of living in Africa. The city continues to grow, with new suburbs that provide housing city center's burgeoning population. The Port of Algiers imports mostly raw materials, industrial products, and supplies. It exports wine, oranges, vegetables, phosphates, and iron ore.

Port History

The Port of Algiers was founded as a colony by the Phoenicians, who established small ports every 40-60 kilometers apart due to the dangers of nighttime navigation of the many reefs. The Phoenicians built a commercial outpost at the site of the modern Port of Algiers, calling it Ikosim. The Romans and Carthaginians knew the Port of Algiers as Icosium. The Port of Algiers's modern Rue de la Marine follows what was once a Roman street.

Destroyed by the Vandals in the 5th Century AD, Buluggin ibn Ziri, founder of the Berber Zirid-Senhaja dynasty, restored it and founded the present Port of Algiers in 944 AD as a Mediterranean commercial center. Roger II of Sicily drove out the remaining Zirids, who had lost control of the Port of Algiers, in 1148. The Almohades then occupied the Port of Algiers in 1159. The Abd-el-Wadid sultans of Tlemcen gained control of the area in the 13th Century. Under their rule, its position as a chief seaport and political center made the Port of Algiers relatively independent.

In the 14th Century, Spaniards occupied the islet of Penon, stimulating trade between the Port of Algiers and Spain. However, before the Moors were driven out of Spain, the port remained small and unimportant. In the early 16th Century, Spain expelled Moors who sought asylum in Algiers and began pirating Spanish ships.

In response, the Spanish fortified the Bay of Algiers' islet of Penon. The emir of Algiers sought help from two Turkish corsairs, the Barbarossa brothers, to drive the Spanish from Penon. In 1529, one of the Barbarossa brothers expelled Spain from the island. He also brought the Port of Algiers under the rule of the Ottomans. During this period, the first construction of a modern port began, with a pier and a shelter for ships in heavy weather.

This action transformed the Port of Algiers into a major base for the following 300 years from which the famous Barbary pirates operated and upon which the local economy depended. European countries tried many times to put down the pirates. But Algiers-based piracy continued until 1830 when the French conquered the city, making the Port of Algiers its headquarters for their colonial empire in Africa.

When the French invaded the area in 1830, the Port of Algiers covered a surface area of three hectares. The port basin included a northern pier and southern pier. By 1865, the Port of Algiers also contained two dry docks, parks, and a railway.

The Port of Algiers' Agha Basin was finished in 1914. Between 1914 and 1940, the Mustapha basin was constructed. Algiers was the Allies' headquarters during World War II and became, for a brief time, the capital of France. After the war, Algiers began to revolt against France's control, costing over 1.5 million Algerian lives. The Port of Algiers was a central point for the struggle.

The harbor station for the Port of Algiers' El Djasair wharf opened in 1953, and the Skikda wharf was built in the early 1960s. Algeria won independence in 1962, and the country embarked on an effort to transform the former colony into a modern socialist state. In the late 1980s, the wet dock of Calvi was added, and the Port of Algiers gained six new roll-on/roll-off ramps.

The older Turkish-Muslim section on the upper slopes of the Port of Algiers has maintained much of its architectural integrity, with high blank-walled houses and narrow streets that are dominated by the fortress of the Kasbah, which UNESCO designated a World Heritage site in 1992. The Port of Algiers gained a new 17.5-hectare container terminal with capacity for over 250 TEUs of containerized cargo.

In 2007, the Port of Algiers was striving to regain its position as an important African and Mediterranean center. The city's new openness to the outside world has brought foreign investment, and many infrastructure projects have been undertaken. But growth has outstripped efforts to provide a modern environment, and the Economist Intelligence Unit's quality of life survey ranked Algiers at the bottom of 132 capitals. Further, 2007 brought contradictory events to the Port of Algiers. It was named the "capital of Arab culture," but it was also the site of several bombing attacks and much violence.

Port Commerce

The State's National Corporation for Maritime Transportation and the Algerian Navigation Company are responsible for coordinating the Port of Algiers, but semi-autonomous port authorities operate the port.

The Port of Algiers is protected by five artificial dams totaling six kilometers and a 2.6 kilometer breakwater that runs parallel to the coast. Port of Algiers w ater surfaces include 75 hectares in the old port basin, 35 hectares in the Agha basin, and 74 hectares in the Mustapha basin. The port contains 36 quays with a total length of 8.6 thousand meters and alongside depths ranging from five to 12 meters.

The northern access channel to the old port in the Port of Algiers is 176 meters long and 22 meters deep. The southern access channel to the Mustapha basin is 240 meters long and 16 meters deep. Pilotage is required for vessels entering and leaving the port.

The Port of Algiers offers a total 8.6 thousand meters of quays. With a total 3.3 thousand meters of quays devoted to general cargo, the Port of Algiers contains over one thousand meters of container quays, 682 meters of quays devoted to naval repairs, 610 meters of quays for oil products, 577 meters for the fishing fleet, as well as other quays specializing in cereals, containers, bitumen, fuel, and passengers.

The Port of Algiers' modern Harbour Station, located at Quay 11, handles both passengers and cars. At 300 meters long with alongside depth of 9 meters, it has capacity to serve 350 thousand passengers per year.

Quay 37 in the Port of Algiers specializes in handling oil products. Quay 37 specializes in handling oil products. It is 610 meters long and has alongside depth of 10.3 meters.

Of the total 8.6 thousand meters of quays in the Port of Algiers, 6.9 thousand meters of quays handle trade cargoes, 300 meters handle passengers, and 821.8 meters handle port services. Trade-related quays include 3.5 thousand meters for general goods, 1.9 thousand meters for containers, 873 meters for cereals, and 577 meters for fishing. Service quays include 140 meters for towing vessels and 681.8 meters for naval repairs.

The Port of Algiers's Quay 26 handles both cereals and fuel at a 398-meter-long quay with alongside depth of 6 meters, and Quay 35, which handles cereals only, is 475 meters long with alongside depth of 9 meters.

Four quays in the Port of Algiers handle containers only, and three quays handle containers and other goods. At 110 meters long with alongside depth of 6.3 meters, Quay 19 handles containers and general goods. Quay 18 is 276 meters long with alongside depth of 7.3 meters, and it handles containers and general goods. Quay 31, at 459 meters in length with alongside depth of 9.5 meters, handles containers and bitumen.

The Port of Algiers' container-only quays total 1088 meters. They include Quay 22P at 145 meters long with alongside depth of 8.8 meters, Quay 33 at 435 meters long with alongside depth of 9 meters, Quay 34 at 171 meters long with alongside depth of 9.5 meters, and Quay 30 at 337 meters long with alongside depth of 10.5 meters.

Opened in 1998, the Port of Algiers' container terminal covers 17 hectares and contains a 600-meter wharf with four berthing stations and alongside depths from 9 to 11 meters. The container terminal has a loading/unloading area of 4.8 thousand square meters and a maintenance workshop of two thousand square meters.

Quays 1 through 4 in the Port of Algiers are devoted to fishing and total 577 meters in length. Quay 1 is 140 meters long with alongside depth of 2.7 meters. Quay 2, with dept of 5.9 meters, is 38 meters long. Quay 3 is 121 meters long with alongside depth of 3.8 meters. Quay 4 is 278 meters long with alongside depth of 6 meters.

Sixteen Port of Algiers' quays serve general cargoes with lengths from 125 to 556 meters and depths from 6 to 10 meters. Quay 24/25 is 207 meters long with alongside depth of 6 meters. With alongside depth of 6.5 meters, Quay 5 is 174 meters long, and Quay 21 is 190 meters long. Quay 7 is 185 meters long with alongside depth of 6.8 meters.

With alongside depth of 7 meters, Quay 36 in the Port of Algiers is 170 meters long, Quay 32 is 173 meters long, and Quay 23 is 360 meters long. The Port of Algiers' Quay 32 handles fuel in addition to general cargoes. Quay 17 is 221.5 meters long with alongside depth of 7.3 meters. With alongside depth of 8 meters, Quay 8 is 262.5 meters long, and Quay 20 is 300 meters long. Quay 22 is 555.8 meters long with alongside depth of 8.4 meters.

Also handling general cargo in the Port of Algiers, Quay 23P is 145 meters long with alongside depth of 9 meters, and Quay 9 is 288 meters long with alongside depth of 9.2 meters. Quay 6 is 137 meters long with alongside depth of 9.6 meters, and Quay 10 is 125 meters long with alongside depth of 10 meters.

The Port of Algiers' service quays include the tug quay of 166.8 meters in length and 9.2 meters depth. There are four naval repair quays totaling 681.8 meters and ranging from 7.3 to 10 meters deep. Quay 15 is 124 meters long with alongside depth of 7.3 meters. Quay 16 is 216 meters long with alongside depth of 8.3 meters. Quay 13 is 166.8 meters long with alongside depth of 9.2 meters, and Quay 14 is 175 meters long with alongside depth of 10 meters.

The Port of Algiers contains two dry docks. The larger facility has a 136-meter-long quay that is 18.5 meters wide with a depth of 8 meters. The smaller one is 74 meters long and 15.5 meters wide.

The Port of Algiers offers storage space of almost 28 hectares, including 16 warehouses covering 4.9 hectares with capacity for 120 thousand tons of goods, and 12 hectares of open yards with capacity for 800 thousand tons. It has a grain silo with a capacity for 20 thousand tons and dry docks for the repair of ships. In 2007, the Port of Algiers handled over 11 million tons of cargo.

Cruising and Travel

The City of Algiers is nicknamed "Alger la Blanch" or "Algiers the White" due to the many shining white buildings sloping upward from the sea. The Port of Algiers contains many things to see and do, including several museums, historic buildings from ancient days, and the Casbah quarter made famous in the 1938 movie. Civil and political strive in the Port of Algiers have discouraged tourism and cruise travel to the city over the past decade; however, there are a few cruise ships that visit the port.

Located on the Mediterranean coast, the climate in the Port of Algiers is as varied as its geography. Rain does not come at all, or it comes in torrents that flood large areas but evaporate quickly. The climate is generally pleasant, despite quick changes. Temperatures range from an average low of 10 ° C (50 ° F) in January to an average high of 24 ° C (75 ° F) in July and August.

The Port of Algiers' most famous attraction is the Casbah. Designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1992, the Casbah is the Port of Algiers' ancient 17th Century city. It contains Algiers' oldest El Kebir Mosque, the 1660 El Djedid Mosque, and the 1794 Ketchaoua Mosque. Most Arabic cities in North Africa have a casbah, which means citadel. In the Port of Algiers, the Casbah was established on the old Roman site of Icosium. The small city was built on a hillside, growing toward the sea. Its labyrinth of narrow lanes and dead-end alleys may be confusing to the uninitiated. The line "Come with me to the Casbah," from the movie Algiers, has become a standard in English-speaking countries.

The Port of Algiers' Bardo Museum contains a major collection of Algerian indigenous artifacts housed in a wonderful Moorish mansion. Pre-historic and ethnographic exhibits include jewelry, costumes, weaponry, costumes, and tin helmets. The Bardo contains a world-famous collection of mosaics, most of them from the 2nd and 4th Centuries. The architecture and interior décor of the building itself is breathtaking.

The National Museum of Antiquities in the Port of Algiers offers Roman glasswork and sculptures as well as a beautiful collection of Islamic art and antique mosaics. The exhibits explore Algeria's past generations with relics and artifacts from the ancient past and from towns and cities across the country. Visitors will enjoy ivory carvings, collections of ancient coins, and objects related to the totemic warriors of the Libyan period.

Famous Ship Canals and Waterways

Famous Ship Canals and Waterways
Name Location Length
(mi)1 Width
(ft) Depth
(ft) Locks Year
opened
Albert Belgium 80.0 53.0 16.5 6 1939
Amsterdam-Rhine Netherlands 45.0 164.0 41.0 3 1952
Beaumont–Port Arthur United States 40.0 200.0 34.0 — 1916
Canal du Midi France 149.0 n.a. n.a. 100 1692
Chesapeake and Delaware United States 14.0 450.0 35.0 — 1829
Erie Canal United States 363.0 70.0 7.0 82 1825
Grand Canal China 1,085.0 n.a. n.a. n.a. 7th cent.
Göta Canal Sweden 240.0 n.a. n.a. 58 1832
Houston United States 50.0 (2) 40.0 — 1914
Kiel (Nord-Ostsee Kanal) Germany 61.3 144.0 36.0 4 1895
Panama Panama 50.7 110.0 41.0 12 1914
St. Lawrence Seaway U.S. and Canada 2,400.03 (4) — — 1959
Montreal to Prescott U.S. and Canada 11.5 80.0 30.0 7 1959
Welland Canada 27.5 80.0 27.0 8 1931
Sault Ste. Marie Canada 1.2 60.0 16.8 1 1895
Sault Ste. Marie United States 1.6 80.0 25.0 4 1915
Suez Egypt 119.95 1,197.5 68.9 — 1869
1. Statute miles.
2. 300–400 ft.
3. From Montreal to Duluth.
4. 442–550 ft; there are 11.5 mi of locks, 80 ft wide and 30 ft deep.
5. From Port Said lighthouse to entrance channel in Suez roads.
Source: American Society of Civil Engineers.See also World's Largest Subway Systems.