ATF 2024 overview: African countries must cooperate more closely
NewsThe ATF 2024 in Abidjan focused on addressing transport challenges, proposing solutions, and accelerating sustainable logistics connectivity.
New transhipment hub in Algeria takes root
The Algerian Government is moving ahead with its plan to develop a new hub port at El Hamdania which is located approximately 70km west of the country’s main port and commercial city Algiers.
While in December, South Korea’s Yuhill-Yooshin and locally based Laboratoire des Etudes Maritimes (LEM) completed detailed design drawings and plans for the new port, in January, the African Development Bank (AfDB) backed the project in the form of a US$900M loan. It will cost an estimated US$3.5B to develop, with the remaining finance expected from Chinese banks.
China-headquartered construction companies are also involved in the project, with China Harbour Engineering Company and China State Construction Engineering Corporation collectively holding a 49% stake in the company that will operate the complex. The remaining 51% of equity will be controlled by the Algerian Port Authority.
In its entirety, El Hamdania is a hugely ambitious venture, involving the construction of 23 berths, the creation of associated yard and storage areas, provision of superstructure, and the purchase of equipment to handle a potential 6.3M TEU a year. The port’s main business will comprise hub-and-spoke transhipment and interline relay cargo.
Given the expansion taking place at Tanger-Med in Morocco and Algeciras in Spain – facilities that will also target the transhipment sector – El Hamdania is likely to find it highly competitive when it comes to securing cargo.
Moreover, with Algeria’s political and economic regimes relatively closed, it could prove difficult attracting private companies to manage the new facilities, should El Hamdania’s ownership/operating company opt for this approach. The government hopes that construction work will start in March, with the first ships calling at the complex in 2021.
Read this item in full
This complete item is approximately 300 words in length, and appeared in the February 2017 issue of WorldCargo News, on page 10. To access this issue download the PDF here.
You just read one of our articles for free
To continue reading, subscribe to WorldCargo News
By subscribing you will have:
- Access to all regular and exclusive content
- Discount on selected events
- Full access to the entire digital archive
- 10x per year Digital Magazine