Djibouti launches country’s largest multipurpose port
Djibouti has unveiled a 690 hectare Doraleh Multipurpose Port, the country’s largest mega project. The new port infrastructure is equipped with ultra-modern facilities that can accommodate 100,000 DWT vessels.
The $590 million project was started in 2015, and jointly financed by Djibouti Ports and Free Zones Authority (DPFZA) and China Merchant Holding (CMHC). The state-of-the-art port equipment was manufactured by the Chinese firm ZPMC. Vessels have already begun using the facility.
The port provides a world-class logistics platform for maritime commerce. The New facilities will considerably improve the efficiency and conditions of Business in the Horn of Africa. The project strengthens Djibouti's position as a key the sea route "the new silk road"
Aboubaker Omar Hadi, chairman of Djibouti Ports & Free Zones Authority (DPFZA) said, “With this new world-class infrastructure, Djibouti confirms its position as a major trading hub for the continent. We are proud to show the world our capacity to deliver major infrastructure projects – some of the most technologically advanced on this continent.”
DMP is the latest in a series of mega projects in Djibouti. These projects include four new ports, a Liquefied Natural Gas facility, an oil terminal, and two brand new airports. Together they will dramatically expand Djibouti’s ability to serve as a platform and trade hub for the region.
The projects follow the completion of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway, a new 752-kilo meter track linking Ethiopia’s capital with the Port of Djibouti.
Djibouti sits at the centre of world trade routes, connecting Asia, Africa and Europe. The port is a gateway to one of the fastest growing regions of the world with 30,000 ships transiting the port each year. Goods from Asia represent 59 percent, with 21 percent coming from Europe and 16 percent from elsewhere in Africa.
