The Saudi Trade & Export Development Company (Tusdeer) said that construction of its $443 million Red Sea Gateway Terminal at Jeddah Islamic Port (JIP) would commence next month.

The new facility will be the first private grass-roots build-operate-transfer container terminal project in Saudi Arabia and capable of handling next generation vessels.

Tusdeer has signed the civil works contract with China Harbour Engineering Company which is scheduled to be completed within 22 months.

The works will include the construction of the quay wall, land reclamation and the dredging of a new 16.5m approach channel as well as other related infrastructure work.

Tusdeer has also signed a contract with Shanghai Zhenhua Port Machinery Limited (ZPMC) to provide the handling equipment for the terminal, which will include eight twin-lift 40 ship-to-shore cranes and 26 rubber-tyred gantries with double lift capability.

The equipment will be delivered in three phases, the first due to arrive in May 2009.

The design and engineering for the Red Sea Gateway Terminal has been undertaken by Halcrow International of the UK.

This includes a 735m main berth and 310m feeder berth with a draft of 18m.

The two berths, with an annual container handling capacity of 1.5 million teu, are planned to be open for operations in the fourth quarter of 2009.

“The berths will have their own dedicated channel to the main JIP approach channel,” says Aamer A Alireza, CEO of Red Sea Gateway Terminal.

“We have designed and equipped this state-of the-art container terminal accommodating our future customers’ requirements as well as the growing container demand at JIP.”

JIP’s newest container facility will increase the port’s container handling capacity by more than 45 per cent and will further increase its importance as a regional logistics hub by integrating with the Tusdeer Bonded Re-export Zone and linking to the Kingdom’s new intermodal connection – the so-called Land Bridge.

Red Sea Gateway terminal – significant features

 Annual handling capacity: 1.5 million teu

 Draft: up to 18m

 Dedicated approach channel

 Separate feeder berth

 Provision for Saudi Land Bridge connectivity

 State-of-the-art equipment with dual-lift capability

 Adjacent bonded re-export zone managed by Tusdeer