Algerian Gvnt to open New Seaport

The Algerian government is readying a tender for the construction of a new deepwater seaport, with the country looking to bolster its port assets in preparation for a further rise in foreign trade.

The Algerian Ministry of Transport has now made the construction of a new port top of their political agenda, as congestion continues to hamper operations at the country’s major ports.

The regularity of delays and backlogs is on the rise at the Port’s of Algiers, Béjaïa, Ténès and Oran.

Although the government is looking at a number of sites for the new port, it is thought that somewhere between the capital Algiers and Ténès is the most likely location.

A timescale for the project has yet to be disclosed, according to IFW.

As part of the Algerian government’s commitment to improving port infrastructure, the country is also in the process of increasing the capacity of the main container terminal at Algiers. The expansion will see the terminal’s annual capacity increase from 500,000 TEUs to around 800,000 TEUs. The plans will also include the commissioning of further cranes and additional port equipment aimed at improving the terminal’s efficiency and productivity.

Further investment is expected at the East Algerian Port of Djen-Djen, which the government sees as having the potential to become a major port of call for services operating in the west of the Mediterranean.

Algeria’s ten commercial ports handled over 120 million tonnes of cargo in 2010, according to IFW.