Egypt has laid the foundation stone for a EGP 1.3 billion (USD 73.6 million) multipurpose terminal at Damietta Port.
The multipurpose terminal is scheduled to be completed within 18 months from the start of construction work.
The project includes the construction of a berth with a length of 630 meters and a depth of 17 meters and an area of 75 thousand square meters. It is expected to achieve an increase in volume of 4 million tons annually and revenues of about EGP 160 million per year.
The terminal would reduce the waiting period of vessels at the outer ancharge and increase the bulk cargo handling rates, especially grains and increase the cargo loads expected to be receive on the sidewalks from 14 meters up to 17 meters. The new facility will be capable of handling liquid bulk, dry bulk, as well as general cargo vessels.
Launched by Egypt’s minister of transport Hisham Arafat, minister of petroleum Tarek El Mulla and chairman of Damietta Port Authority Ayman Saleh, the terminal is a part of the Ministry of Transport’s plan to develop the port system.
The ministers also inaugurated the EGP 12 million expansion of the operations center at the port and raised the flag on two tugboats to improve the level of service and increase performance rates to meet the current and expected increase in ship traffic.