Philippine terminal operator International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) is set to begin its second phase investment in a new container terminal infrastructure well underway at its Basra Gateway Terminal (BGT) at the Port of Umm Qasr, Iraq’s largest port.
The phase two expansion, to be completed in stages by Q3 2019, will deliver 400 meters of new quay with a draft of 14 meters, alongside a new 30-hectare yard area and a 15-hectare secure parking area, ICTSI said.
Further, three post-Panamax ship-to-shore cranes would likewise be installed along the quay, and seven rubber tired gantries (RTG) will provide stacking and handling power in the yard area. The overall design provides for handling container vessels of up to 9,000 TEU capacity.
The latest round of development also includes the acquisition of a cutter suction dredger with the dual objective of ensuring strict adherence to the construction schedule and maintaining draft alongside the terminal’s new and existing births.
Upon completion of the second phase, ICTSI will have invested in excess of USD250 million in the Port of Umm Qasr and BGT will have an annual handling capacity of over one million TEUs.
In Q1 2017, BGT completed the first phase of its terminal greenfield project, which included the construction of a new 250-meter berth and a 15-hectare yard area. Last year also saw BGT’s expansion of its service portfolio with the development of quay and yard areas configured for the safe and efficient handling of oil and gas project cargoes, enabling BGT partnerships with the oil and gas industry.
Operations at Berth 21 likewise commenced in January 2018, introducing a dedicated roll-on, roll-off (ro-ro) facility, where international standard operational practices remain.