Port of Salalah (Oman) to invest $112m for superstructure
The Port of Salalah is investing $112 million for installing port handling equipment at the newly-developed berths, which will enhance the port’s capacity to 6 million twenty equivalent tonnes (TEUs) per annum from 4.5 million TEUs now. The cost of expansion will be funded by way of long-term borrowing from institutions and internal accruals. The port is preparing to add four Super Post-Panamax Gantry Cranes for its two new 18m depth berths. The four new Super Post-Panamax Gantry Cranes will complement the current 17 and enhance the port’s capacity to about 6 million twenty equivalent units (TEUs) per annum by mid-2009. “These cranes can operate the largest vessels in the world with their ability to reach containers stacked 23 across on deck. The investment will also include 4 mobile harbour cranes, 10 new spreaders that allow twin pick capacity and 11 additional rubber-tyred gantry cranes,” said the port in a statement.
The new cranes will play an important role in meeting the growing customer demands and at the same time ensure improved efficiency and faster vessel turn times. “Since its inception, the Port of Salalah has always strived to be an industry leader in innovation and port development. To ensure continued success, we must make necessary long-term investments.
Our business growth makes it important for us to increase available capacity in order to maintain our consistently high-quality service to our customers as our throughput continues to increase,” Gary Lemke (pictured), Chief Executive Officer of Port of Salalah, said in the statement. The strong growth witnessed in shipment volume during the first quarter of the current year is expected to continue.
Salalah Port Services posted a 144 per cent growth in net profit at RO 1.56 million for the first quarter of 2008, over the same period last year. Similarly, the port’s revenue soared to RO 9.84 million from RO 6.97 million, while earnings per share stood higher at 87 baisa from 36 baisa. Direct operating cost was up at RO 5.12 million from RO 4.22 million during the period.
The container terminal volume soared by 30 per cent while general cargo terminal showed a 27 per cent growth in volume. The growth in container terminal volumes has been in line with the capacity commissioned on Berth 5 during the last quarter of 2007, while the gross productivity at the container terminal during the first quarter was due to rising limestone and bulk cement shipments.
Port of Salalah is one of the fastest growing terminals in the West Central Asia region situated right at the major East-West shipping lanes. With the opening of the fifth deepwater berth in May last year and the recent completion of berth 6, the annual throughput capacity has grown from 2.5 million TEUs in 2006 to 4.5 million TEUs in 2008 and will achieve another 30 per cent growth on delivery of the new equipment.
The new cranes will play an important role in meeting the growing customer demands and at the same time ensure improved efficiency and faster vessel turn times. “Since its inception, the Port of Salalah has always strived to be an industry leader in innovation and port development. To ensure continued success, we must make necessary long-term investments.
Our business growth makes it important for us to increase available capacity in order to maintain our consistently high-quality service to our customers as our throughput continues to increase,” Gary Lemke (pictured), Chief Executive Officer of Port of Salalah, said in the statement. The strong growth witnessed in shipment volume during the first quarter of the current year is expected to continue.
Salalah Port Services posted a 144 per cent growth in net profit at RO 1.56 million for the first quarter of 2008, over the same period last year. Similarly, the port’s revenue soared to RO 9.84 million from RO 6.97 million, while earnings per share stood higher at 87 baisa from 36 baisa. Direct operating cost was up at RO 5.12 million from RO 4.22 million during the period.
The container terminal volume soared by 30 per cent while general cargo terminal showed a 27 per cent growth in volume. The growth in container terminal volumes has been in line with the capacity commissioned on Berth 5 during the last quarter of 2007, while the gross productivity at the container terminal during the first quarter was due to rising limestone and bulk cement shipments.
Port of Salalah is one of the fastest growing terminals in the West Central Asia region situated right at the major East-West shipping lanes. With the opening of the fifth deepwater berth in May last year and the recent completion of berth 6, the annual throughput capacity has grown from 2.5 million TEUs in 2006 to 4.5 million TEUs in 2008 and will achieve another 30 per cent growth on delivery of the new equipment.