
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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