Manila-based International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI) has completed its US$250M development project at its Basra Gateway Terminal (BGT) in the port of Umm Qasr, Iraq.
The refurbishment of and opening of Berths 25 and 26, which are adjacent to Berth 27 which was inaugurated in 2016 gives BGT 600m of contiguous berthing line. With a draught alongside of 14m, the facility can accommodate neo-panamax-class vessels.
The investment in Berths 25 and 26 has included the purchase of three STS cranes, each of which can handle ships loaded with 21 rows of containers across the weather deck, and seven RTGs. The latter machines can lift one container over six.
The container-handling facility now features five STS cranes, 10 RTGs and a yard area of 50ha. It has an annual throughput capacity in excess of 600,000TEU.
Commenting on the company’s investment programme in BGT, ICTSI chairman and president Enrique K Razon, said: “We are pleased to lead the way for Umm Qasr to serve higher capacity container vessels, up to and including the so-called ‘new panamax’ class (14,000 TEU) vessels and open the door for cargo importers and exporters to benefit from the substantial scale economies from the deployment of these ships.”
In addition to expanding BGT’s container-handling capacity, ICTSI has improved its ro-ro facilities, developed dedicated warehousing and secure storage areas do that general and project cargo can be handled more efficiently.
Enrique K. Razon Jr., ICTSI Chairman and President (center, fifth from left), formally opens Basra Gateway Terminal’s two new deep-water berths, part of its US$250-million second phase investment program for its Umm Qasr port. Joining him are Dr. Safaa Al-Fayyadh, Director General of the General Company for Ports of Iraq - GCPI (7th from the left) and Chief Atheal Abid Ali Salman, North Port Director, Umm Qasr (fourth from the left).
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