Ethiopian Shipping News

Ethiopia is to start using the Port of Berbera of Somaliland this month on an agreement reached between the two countries on January 29, 2015, while the use of Port Sudan has started by the importation of 50,000tn of fertilizer. Ethiopia is distributes its cargo among neighboring countries’ ports as the country needs alternative ports aside that of Djibouti. Workeneh Gebeyehu, Minister for Transport, said, “Five to 10pc of the country’s imports are planned to come through the port of Berbera, and we will be looking for proper ports for different areas of the country.” “But the Port of Djibouti continues to be the major one,” he added. Ethiopia had expressed its dependence on Port Djibouti as a concern when it issued a one billion dollar sovereign bond in October 2014.

In April Cargotec confirmed a new order for 21 MacGregor variable frequency drive (VFD) electric cranes to be installed on seven 28,000 dwt multipurpose cargo ships. The ships will be built at Huanghai Shipbuilding in China for Ethiopian Shipping lines, and the MacGregor cranes are scheduled for delivery between August 2012 and September 2013. Three MacGregor GLE electric cranes will be installed on each ship: five ships will be equipped with a 60-tonne and two 80-tonne cranes, and the other two ships with a 60-tonne and two 100-tonne cranes.