Somaliland’s Berbera Port is among the best-ranked container ports in Sub-Sahara.
The World Bank listed Berbera Port and Djibouti Port highly in its latest Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) Report.
The report came out on Friday, May 19, 2023.
Such ranking emphasizes the strategic importance of the ports in enhancing trade among countries in the region.
Overall, the report ranks Djibouti in position 26. Regionally, it is in the first position.
Meanwhile, Berbera Port stands proudly in the 2nd and 144th positions regionally and globally respectively.
Berbera Port Recognized as One of Africa’s Top Ports
A report issued by the World Bank said that the port of Berbera has made a lot of progress in recent years.
According to a World Bank’s third edition of the global Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) survey from 2022 that was only just released this year, Berbera PORT was ranked 144 globally in terms of port services, advancing from the previous year’s ranking placed it at 165. According to the World Bank report, Berbera Port is situated in a key strategic location, and significant improvements have been made to the port’s infrastructure. The port also serves the cargo destined to Ethiopia, a country that borders the Republic of Somaliland.
The ports of Berbera and Djibouti were rated higher than the port of Mombasa, which was already rated as one of the busiest ports, in the study on global container ports.
The data-based comparative index rated 348 international container ports based on their effectiveness, which was determined by the amount of time it takes for a ship to arrive at a port and leave after completing its cargo exchange.
What made Berbera deserving of this position?
Saeed Hassan Abdillahi, the manager of Berbera port, told the BBC that they anticipated being ranked high in the index because the port has made significant strides in recent years.
“We are proud of the work we have done for the ships and the service we provide, such as loading and unloading, and the work we have done,” stated Mr. Saeed.
The manager added that “The workers working at the port have improved their skills and eventually became competent in doing this work in efficient ways.”
Berbera Port manager also stated that new machinery, such as cranes to offload ships carrying big cargo, has been introduced to the port.
“In the past, we used to run into situations where we didn’t have an appropriate crane to unload some types of containers, but the president of the Somaliland Republic’s policy and the cooperation we established with DP World made it possible for us to bring the most up-to-date equipment,” Manager Saeed said.
Djibouti (26), Berbera Port (144), Port Elizabeth (291), Durban (341), and Cape Town (344) are among the rated ports in sub-Saharan countries. The port of Dar Salaam in Tanzania has also made it into the front-runner ranks of Sub-Saharan countries.
In this ranking, the ports of Berbera and Djibouti have surpassed Mombasa port in Kenya, one of the formerly top-ranked ports in Africa.
“African ports are an important gateway for trade and related activities that contribute to food security. Efficient port operations are essential for Africa to realize its economic potential” the World Bank report said.
The World Bank report also noted that significant progress has been made in the area of international trade since 2020 when ports all around the world saw a decline in activity following the emergence of the Covid-19 disease.
The World Bank examined a number of things, including service delivery, management, and quality at the port operations.
After the expansion of Berbera Port, it is one of the largest ports in the Horn of Africa.
The first phase of the expansion was handled by the UAE-based DP World, which is one of the cross-border companies in the UAE that works in ports, shipping, and handling.
The Berbera port deal with DP World caused a lot of controversy during its initial implementation.
One of the largest ports in the Horn of Africa, Berbera Port has grown significantly as one of the largest ports in the Horn of Africa. The first phase of the expansion was handled by the UAE-based DP World, which is one of the cross-border companies in the UAE that works in ports, shipping and handling.
One of the cross-border businesses in the UAE that work in ports, shipping, and handling is DP World, which managed the initial phase of the expansion.
When Somaliland signed the deal with the DP World to manage the port, it generated a great deal of debate in Somaliland.
What has been added to the port of Berbera?
- 500 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) containers can be handled by the port at once.
- It is intended to be raised to 2 million TEU.
- It is being developed into a commercial center for the Horn of Africa.
- There are now eight large cranes.
- In the following three years, the new port will be constructed and ready for use.
Source link: BBC Somali World Bank Report
