AFTER receiving a US$422 million investment from DP World, the Port of Berbera aims to regain its centuries-old trade glory, setting a battle of ports over a maritime thoroughfare, reports London's Financial Times.
The revamped port now offers an alternative to Djibouti as a gateway to lucrative trade routes through the Suez Canal.
Berbera's terminal opened in June, where its container capacity increased from 150,000 TEU to 500,000 TEU annually, with plans aiming for two million TEU.
'We are getting another chance to become an international business centre. There will be a healthy competition between the neighbouring ports,' said Berbera Mayor Abdishakur Mohamed Hassan.
Mr Hassan declared those ambitions haven't been welcomed very warmly by neighbours.
'Djibouti is 100 per cent not happy with the investment DP World made in our port,' said Mr Hassan.
Said DP World's chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem: 'We believe that developing the Berbera corridor into one of the major trade and logistics corridors will unlock huge economic benefits for Ethiopia,'
Still, Djibouti has been rated as the most efficient port in Africa measured by minutes per container move.
Said somaliland Ports Authority general manager Hassan Abdullahi: 'If the war goes on there will be no trade. We are building all this infrastructure for Ethiopia. It could be a problem for Somaliland and for Djibouti.'
SeaNews Turkey
The revamped port now offers an alternative to Djibouti as a gateway to lucrative trade routes through the Suez Canal.
Berbera's terminal opened in June, where its container capacity increased from 150,000 TEU to 500,000 TEU annually, with plans aiming for two million TEU.
'We are getting another chance to become an international business centre. There will be a healthy competition between the neighbouring ports,' said Berbera Mayor Abdishakur Mohamed Hassan.
Mr Hassan declared those ambitions haven't been welcomed very warmly by neighbours.
'Djibouti is 100 per cent not happy with the investment DP World made in our port,' said Mr Hassan.
Said DP World's chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem: 'We believe that developing the Berbera corridor into one of the major trade and logistics corridors will unlock huge economic benefits for Ethiopia,'
Still, Djibouti has been rated as the most efficient port in Africa measured by minutes per container move.
Said somaliland Ports Authority general manager Hassan Abdullahi: 'If the war goes on there will be no trade. We are building all this infrastructure for Ethiopia. It could be a problem for Somaliland and for Djibouti.'
SeaNews Turkey