Modern bulk operations at RAK Ports

Situated in the northernmost emirate of the UAE, Ras Al Khaimah, RAK Ports acts as an important maritime gateway for bulk cargo.

RAK Ports comprises five locations, Al Jeer Port, Saqr Port, RAK Maritime City, Ras Al Khaimah Port and Al Jazeera Port.

The container terminal at Saqr Port has been operated by Hutchinson Ports since 2017 and has a modest 350,000 TEU capacity. With Jebel Ali Port in Dubai operated by DP World boasting an annual traffic of almost 19 million TEU Saqr Port servers a smaller, local market.

Also, at Saqr Port the RAK group handles around 70mt (million tonnes) of dry bulk per year. Most of the cargo is sent to the Middle East and South Asia, 40% to Kuwait, 40% to India, 10% to Bangladesh and the remaining 10% to various other nearby nations. Products are mainly mineral products that are sourced from the Al Hajar Mountains which provide a backdrop for the Port. It is a key supply chain partners for quarries and the cement industry.

At the RAK Maritime City location RAK Ports deals with a total of 22 tenants with waterside access, shipyard facilities and a feeder service from Saqr Port into Jebel Ali. RAK Port provides services ranging from cargo handling, free zone land lease, ship repair, warehousing, training, marine and anchorage services to cruise tourism.

Bulk Cargo Handling

Saqr Port and Free Zone’s huge annual cargo-handling capacity, coupled with its ability to berth the word’s largest cargo ships, makes it the key gateway in the supply chain for the majority of construction projects in the Middle East Region, boasting the following benefits: 18 metres draught, accommodating v the world’s largest ships; 100+ mt annual capacity; v ten bulk-handling berths, two of v which are Capesize; and 5,300tph loading rate. v

Capabilities

RAK Ports has massive cargo handling capacity, with Saqr Port and Free Zone alone being capable of handling in excess of 100 million tonnes of cargo annually. The world’s largest cargo ships can be accommodated via two Capesize berths. All types of materials can be handled — ranging from all types of cargo for the construction and related industries, plus a wide variety of project cargo. The port also has extremely quick and efficient vessel turnaround, supported by its large fleet of mobile harbour cranes, ship loaders, dock loaders, telescopic cranes and other equipment.

RAK PORTS FEATURES: direct access to one of the world’s v largest limestone quarries which is the principal supplier of construction materials for the Middle East region; RAK Ports has recently invested in v excess of $250 million in expanding and enhancing its cargo handling operations; strategic location at the entrance of v the Arabian Gulf, where 35% of the world’s seaborne oil passes through and providing excellent access to international markets; and cargo operations meet all v internationally recognized standards and accreditations.

Ports of Indiana shipped 12.6mt (million tonnes) of cargo in 2023, the second-highest tonnage in its 63-year history. This is a 6% increase over 2022 and second only to 2018, when Indiana’s three ports handled 14.8mt of cargo. The largest single cargo increase in 2023 was coal exports from Mount Vernon, which jumped 78%. Fertilizer increased more than 11% overall, with double-digit gains at Mount Vernon and Jeffersonville, while soy products, minerals, ethanol, DDGs and cement also increased.

“At Ports of Indiana, we are privileged to partner with a group of world-class companies that ship critical cargoes to and from our regional economies,” said Ports of Indiana CEO Jody Peacock. “The dedication and hard work of these businesses is why Indiana ranks 12th in the nation for maritime shipping and why our maritime economy is booming. The 2023 cargo volumes were even more impressive considering some of the major challenges facing our industry this past year with low water levels and lock closures.”

Indiana’s three-port system maintained substantial tonnages despite several factors that stymied the U.S. inland maritime industry as a whole: an extended lock closure on the Illinois River, nearrecord low water levels on the Mississippi River, and a weeklong work stoppage by Canadian St. Lawrence Seaway employees.

Ports of Indiana also experienced significant growth in rail shipments during 2023, with rail carloads increasing 28% year over year. All three ports increased rail shipments as Mount Vernon led the way with 39,909 rail cars, a 42% increase from 2022. Overall, Ports of Indiana handled 65,141 rail cars in 2023.

The 2023 business results also indicate that Ports of Indiana’s economic impact increased year over year. A 2023 study found that Indiana’s three ports supported more than 49,000 jobs and generated $8.7 billion annually for the state’s economy, $3.5 billion in annual wages, and $536 million in state and local taxes.

“This is an exciting time at Ports of Indiana,” said Peacock. “We’re going through a transformational period as we build up our internal resources to spur port growth and work through transitions of key terminal operators at all three ports. We’re cautiously optimistic about the 2024 cargo outlook, but we’re more excited about how our team is positioning Indiana’s port system for long-term future growth.”

About Ports Of Indiana

Ports of Indiana is a statewide port authority operating three ports on the Ohio River and Lake Michigan. Established in 1961, Ports of Indiana is a self-funded enterprise dedicated to growing Indiana’s economy by developing and maintaining a world-class port system, and by serving as a statewide resource for maritime issues, international trade, and multimodal logistics.

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The Spanish Port of Castellón has introduced important environmental upgrades to its South Dock area, where 20 new dust trap screens have been erected. Each is made up of a ten metre high steel structure on which there is a textile mesh. These are capable of reducing wind speed behind the screens by 60% and have been designed to stop particles being discharged into the air during dry bulk handling.

The Port Authority has invested €308,699.83 in the new installation.

Castellón has been in the very forefront in Spain in terms of this type of protection, having invested €1,259,427 since 2016 in the installation of windbreaks and dust screens in both the outer cross dock and in the main north and south docks. In total, the port authority has undertaken 18 environmental protection actions to minimize the emission of particles into the environment.

Among these initiatives is the provision on its website of real-time public information on the air quality in the port environment, as well as the provision of wheel washers to prevent vehicles taking dust outside the port and the approval of a Code of Good Environmental Practices to regulate solid bulk handling operations in the port area. Barry Cross