News

Berbera

With Berbera (Somaliland) set to become the new gateway to Ethiopia and East Africa as a whole, Budd’s full P&I/H&M Correspondent services will soon be available to vessels and their clubs in this port.

In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact us for precautionary surveys or tallies.

In accordance with the agreements reached between Dubai World Ports (United Arab Emirates), the state-owned Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics Services (ESL) and the government of Somaliland, a massive development program to extend and modernize the port of Berbera, build a new road transport corridor from the coast to Ethiopia, and create a special economic zone (BSEZ), should be fully completed in 2022 (see this presentation for the full details).

Phase 1 of the expansion work has been completed.  It includes:

• The addition of a dedicated 400 m container quay, bringing the total length of the quay up from 560 m to 1050 m;
• A maximum draft increased from 11.5 to 17 m;
• In addition to three shore cranes, the terminal now boasts 3 STS QC;
• 156 reefer plugs against 36 previously.
  
  

Berbera Container Port

On June 24, 2021, his Excellency Muze Bihi Abdi, President of Somaliland, and Sultan Ahmed bi Sulayem, President and CEO of DP World inaugurated the improved terminal which can now accommodate the largest container ships currently in service and handle up to 500 000 TEU’s per year against 150 000 previously.

A modern container park with 8 rubber-tired gantry cranes has also been built.

Work on phase two of the project has already commenced and the container quay has been further extended by an additional 400 m section which is not yet in use. Ultimately, the full length of the quay will be 1450 m. A further 3 STS QC will be added, and container handling capacity will rise to over 1,000,000 a year.

Building has also started on Berbera’s new special economic zone.

The port of Berbera aims to provide an alternative to the port of Djibouti, and it is hoped that ultimately more than 20% of the goods destined for Ethiopia will be discharged in Berbera for road carriage to Ethiopia.

The new road from the port of Berbera to Ethiopia is fully paved and provides the following connections:

• Port of Berbera to the capital of Somaliland Hargeisa: 185 km
• Hargeisa – Ethiopian border (Wajaale): 85 km
• Hargeisa – Addis Ababa: 700 km

The main shipping companies present in Djibouti are now represented in Berbera, eg. PIL, MSC, GULF AGENCY MARILL, FASTTRACK, ISS, CMA CGM.

Further news of Budd’s local details will follow but we remain at your disposal for any surveys (contact: philippe.delaporte@budd-pni.com, copy general.marseille@budd-pni.com) or additional information you may require.