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Port
Khalid's
Port
Khalid's original depth was dredged in the early eighties
to deal with deeper draft vessels and today the berth
and quay configuration is designed to accept most types
of vessels. The port handles a wide variety of tonnage
ranging from tankers, container vessels, Ro-Ro ships,
pure car carriers, reefer ships, passenger ships, heavy
lift ships, jack up rigs, bulk carriers and a multitude
of smaller vessels such as coasters, supply boats, tugs,
barges and crew boats. Port Khalid is one of the easiest
ports to enter in the Gulf with only a short approach
channel.
Location
plays an important role in Port Khalid's development plans
for future growth especially as Sharjah and nearby Dubai
have shown such a rapid growth rate over the past 15 years.
Sharjah's industrial base is one of the largest in the
UAE claiming 45% of all UAE based industries. In the past
port traffic for Dubai and Sharjah has been largely transshipment
cargo. As the Emirates gradually moves away from its dependence
on a mineral related economy to more of trading and industrial
based so the nature of port traffic will also change.
The recent substantial onshore and offshore gas finds
have further prompted Sharjah to invest in its industrial
base with the establishment of Sharjah Airport Free Zone
and the Hamriyah Free Zone.
Khor
Fakkan
Already one of the best container transshipment hub ports
in the world Khorfakkan Container Terminal (KCT) is gearing
up for the next century. Under a programme directed by
His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammad AI Qasimi,
Ruler of Sharjah and its Dependencies, the natural deepwater
port is being massively expanded.
The
quay has been lengthened by 350 metres to give a total
length of 1,000 metres, a dredging programme has increased
the depth alongside to 15 metres and the ship turning
has been enlarged to take the largest container vessels
envisaged.
Khor
Fakkan Container Terminal has a superb geographical position
in the context of today's huge and efficient deepsea container
trades. Located on Sharjah's Indian Ocean Coast, it is
close to the main east-west shipping lanes and outside
the sensitive straits of Hormuz.
Leading
Shipping Lines, including United Arab Shipping Corp, DSR
Senator, Cho Yang Lines, CMA, NSCSA and Hanjin have been
quick to realise the cost and time savings they can gain
by using Khorfakkan as a hub port for transshipment traffic
in to the Arabian Gulf, sub Continent and East Africa
and effecting container transfers between their own services.
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