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The Port of Fujairah is one of the best seaports
in the Middle East and the No. 4 in the Gulf in
container handling. According to the latest statistics,
the port rated No. 67 globally in container handling.
Construction
of the port started in 1978 in order to cope with
the economic development in the Emirate. It was
completed in 1980, but actual operation of the port
commenced in 1983.
The
port lies outside the Strait of Hormuz, overlooking
the Arabian Sea which is famous for its deep waters.
In view of that, waters outside the port are as
deep as 17 metres, an advantage which makes it possible
for visiting ships to anchor as close as half nautical
mile to the port. The water surrounding the port
are free from natural obstructions such as coral
reefs and rocks.
The
strategic position of the port, which is regarded
as the Eastern Gate of the UAE as well as its location
midway between the East and West, helped to attract
many international shipping firms. The proximity
of the seaport to the Fujairah International Airport
was a positive factor for the rise in transhipment
operations.
In
addition to that the Fujairah Port, on the threshold
of the 21st century, is undergoing dramatic expansions.
Apart from rising the length of its wharfs to 1,400
metres, work is in progress to set up new wharfs
for refilling purposes as Fujairah has now become
an important bunkering depot in the region. The
development plan also involves raising the warehousing
capacity to half a million sq.meters within the
next five years in order to cope with expected rise
in the volume of handled containers.
Phase
one of the computerisation programme is completed
as all Departments are now linked by a computer
network. Computerisation helped saving time and
improving efficiency, particularly in container
handling. The next phase of the computerisation
programme is scheduled to be completed within the
next two years which will result in better performance
and higher productivity.
The
port is provided with modem equipment of high technology
to accommodate the increasing size and number of
containers. Six gantry cranes have already been
installed to serve the wharves, in addition to the
other advanced cranes at the containers yard.
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