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Enrique Razon, chairman and president of global ports operator International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), recently visited Basra Gateway Terminal (BGT), ICTSI’s subsidiary in Umm Qasr, to see firsthand the significant development work that is now underway at the Iraqi port.
Razon personally inspected the continuing upgrade works at Berth 20, the existing facility in Umm Qasr’s North Port where ICTSI started operations in November 2014. He also inspected the piling works taking place opposite ICTSI’s current terminal, where ICTSI is investing in the development of an entirely new state-of-the-art container/multi-purpose facility.
Overall, ICTSI is committed to invest US$130 million to upgrade terminal facilities and capacity in order to meet the latest requirements of port users. “We are proud to be present in the port of Umm Qasr to undertake the first foreign financed development of an entirely new port infrastructure and to contribute to the future growth and prosperity of the country,” said Razon during his visit.
The first phase of the new container/multi-purpose facility consists of a 250m berth and 13 hectares of storage area. Upon completion, the new facility will have a 600m berth and 55 hectares of yard space.
Investments at Berth 20, as well as in personnel training and back-up systems, are said to be already paying off, with container handling rates now averaging 24 moves per hour as compared to 10 moves per hour during the early days of terminal operation.
The port of Umm Qasr is Iraq’s leading maritime gateway with a hinterland that extends to the capital city of Baghdad. It also serves some of the world’s largest oilfields in southern Iraq.
