Port Khalid

The first major port of call within the Arabian Gulf is Port Khalid, on the West Coast of Sharjah, one of the most advanced ports in the region. Here the majority of Sharjah's general cargo traffic is being handled, using the latest in-cargo handling machinery. Its 13-berth deep water harbor is capable of managing vessels of varying draughts.

Many UAE-based importers favor Port Khalid to ship their cargo because of its modern storage facilities - amongst which two berthed cold stores that can handle up to 5,000 tons at any given time. It is also popular because of its proximity to the city, the customer-oriented service, the minimum turnaround time and the absence of customs duties on import and export. Over 40 percent of the UAE's manufacturing is in the Emirate of Sharjah and much of it is less than an hour by truck from SCT. Port Khalid also boasts the only passenger terminal facility in UAE.

Situated on Sharjah's Gulf coast and managed and operated by Gulftainer Co Ltd., it is fully equipped to offer immediate berthing, expert merchandised handling of dry and refrigerated containers, documentary back-up, bonded warehousing and groupage facilities. Gulftainer's NCR 3430 Pentium based computer management system provides complete terminal control, statistical reports, ship planning and EIR functions.

The terminal's 586 meter quay has a minimum depth alongside of 11.5 meters at MLW and can accommodate two third generation container ships simultaneously or two roll-on roll-off vessels. Covering over 150,000 sq. meters the terminal provides storage for 8,000 TEUs and there is a 9,300 sq. meter dedicated transit shed and storage area and a 100 tons capacity weighbridge.

Ship work is handled 24 hours a day, seven days a week by two Liebherr T115, 35 tons capacity gantry cranes. The yard handling equipment inventory includes 30 tons capacity Transtainers, 40 tons SWL top loading forklifts plus a full range of smaller forklifts, flatbeds, skeletal trailers, tractors and other ancillary equipment.

In addition to being one of the most efficient and flexible ports in the region, SCT is cost effective. Gulftainer Co Ltd operates to a keenly competitive scale of charges exercising tight cost control and high productivity.

Khorfakkan

Khorfakkan Container Terminal (KCT) in recent years has undergone a continuous rolling program of improvements. The multi-million dollar developments have reinforced its acknowledgment position as the logical container transshipment port for the United Arab Emirates, Upper Arabian Gulf States and the Indian Sub Continent.

The most recent project, completed in May 1999, was its 350 meter quay extension. The ultra modern container terminal now has 1,060 meters of berths, dredged to a depth of 15 meters alongside at MLW. The enlarged turning circle and seaward approaches have also been dredged to 15 meters.

Managers and operator of KCT, Gulftainer Co Ltd, have matched the quay construction program with the introduction of sophisticated container handling equipment. The terminal now boasts eight ship-to-shore gantries including four Panamax, two Post Panamax, two Super Post Panamax cranes. The most recent acquisitions are the largest in the region and capable of handling vessels stowed 18 containers across. Additional Super Post Panamax gantry cranes are now under consideration.

On the landward slide, container stacks in KCT's 300,000sq meters plus storage areas can now accommodate 18,000 TEUs. The fourth original rail mounted yard gantries plus six recently introduces rubber tyred gantries (RTGs) serve them. The new RTGs can handle containers one over five high and seven across plus a roadway. Four more enhanced specification Liebherr RTGs will arrive in the port by the end of the year (1999) and the number of reefer points has been increased to 214.

The only natural deepwater port in the Middle East, KCT is located on the east coast of the Emirate of Sharjah, close to the main east-west shipping routes and outside the sensitive Straits of Hormuz. Via a modern dual carriage-way Khorfakkan Container Terminal (KCT) - which now has a potential throughput of over 1.5 million TEUs annually - is just three hours form the dynamic commercial and industrial markets on the UAEs Gulf Coast.

KHORFAKKAN CONTAINER TERMINAL
PO Box 10326, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Tel : +971 (9) 2385604/5 Fax : +971 (9) 2387212
E-Mail : gtlkct@emirates.net.ae

SHARJAH CONTAINER TERMINAL
PO Box 225, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Tel : +971 (6) 5284205 Fax : +971 (6) 5284513
E-Mail : gtlsct@emirates.net.ae


GULFTAINER CO. LTD
PO Box 225, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Tel : +971 (6) 5274201 Fax : +971 (6) 5724711
E-Mail :gtluae@emirates.net.ae