
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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