Southern Mediterranean shore transhipment hubs

Paris, France (Ports Europe) November 12, 2024 - From Tanger Med to Damietta, transhipment hubs in the Mediterranean are developing rapidly on the Mediterranean Sea’s southern shore. Moroccan and Algerian projects confirm this trend, writes Ports et Corridors specialized news portal for maritime transport and port logistics under the headline Mediterranean: Transhipment hubs are refocusing on the south. The first investments have been made on the northern shore of the Mediterranean. Ports such as Piraeus (Greece), Malta, Gioia Tauro (Italy), Barcelona, Valencia and Algeciras (Spain) gained the upper hand. They invested in port infrastructure and formed partnerships with shipowners to establish themselves as hubs. Algeciras with APM Terminals (a subsidiary of Mærsk) established itself in the Strait of Gibraltar. In the heart of the Mediterranean, Gioia Tauro, with Contship, and Malta with the CMA CGM group, wanted to assert their central position. Further east, Piraeus emerged when the giant state-owned China’s COSCO group won the concession for the container terminal. These European ports paved the way for the development of transhipment hubs on the southern Mediterranean shore. The first was Tanger (Tangier) Med (Morocco). It entered into direct competition with Algeciras. In Tanger Med, the CMA CGM group joined a container terminal managed by the German handler Eurogate. And even APM Terminals decided to set foot in the port. Tanger Med quickly became the biggest African container port in terms of handled containers. More Ports Europe news about Tanger Med Egypt followed suit. The government invested in making Damietta the eastern counterweight to Tanger Med. Located at the exit of the Suez Canal, Damietta hopes to play a role for all ships entering the Mediterranean Sea. The port aims to become the container hub between Suez and the eastern Mediterranean. Germany's Hapag-Lloyd is an investor. On the other (eastern) side of the Suez Canal, Port Said is also trying to establish itself as a hub. More Ports Europe news about Damietta port More Ports Europe news about Port Said After Tangier Med, Morocco is developing a new port centre in the east of the peninsula, in the city of Nador. Nador West Med was to be focused mainly on bulk and miscellaneous goods. More Ports Europe news about the port of Nador However, the growing activity in Tangier and the rising demand also led to the creation of a container terminal in Nador. It will be operated half by Marsa Maroc and the other half by a consortium between Marsa Maroc and the CMA CGM group. The first ship is expected in 2027. Algeria created a new port in the Algiers region, Djen-Djen, whose container terminal is managed by the DP World. On November 3, the port received its largest ship - MSC Tamara. With a length of 265 m and a width of 32 m, the Swiss shipping company confirms the port's place among Mediterranean hubs. More Ports Europe news about the port of Djen-Djen In 2023, the Algerian government refused to accept cargo on its territory from the Tanger Med (in the political context over disputed Western Sahara). This helped Djen-Djen attract cargo. Copyright (C) Ports Europe. All Rights Reserved. 2024.

Southern Mediterranean shore transhipment hubs

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Southern Mediterranean shore transhipment hubs

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Turkey: Seaports cargo traffic – Jan-Oct 2024

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