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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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