Ports developer and operator KGL Ports International (KGL PI) intends to add two ports to its portfolio annually, targeting countries in the GCC region, the Red Sea and the southern parts of the Mediterranean and Africa, a company spokesman says.

The company plans to enter into negotiations with more than 14 countries worldwide to accomplish its growth strategy, the spokesman said.
“It has a corporate vision aimed at the future generation and it is committed to becoming an “internationally recognised preferred developer and operator of ports on a global scale.
“Since its incorporation in 2004, KGL PI has succeeded in becoming a world leader in the field of ports design, construction and management.
“KGL PI, as a leading ports developer and operator has a clear vision about its regional expansion and growth in the coming decades. Its success formula has been the selection of ports based on our particular strategy to develop a niche market.”
Last year the company obtained the ISO 9001:2000 certification for quality management.
The company was awarded a 21-year concession agreement to design, construct and manage a container terminal at Saqr Port in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE.
“Completed as per schedule, the container terminal is currently considered one of the best in the region in terms of modern infrastructure, containers handling equipment and automation facilities,” the spokesman said.
“With total investment exceeding $50 million, KGL PI is currently modernising, developing and improving operations at the container terminal with throughput expected to reach 500,000 teu per year in the third year of operation.
“Building on this significant opportunity to expand its global reach, KGL PI has already commenced planning the second phase of expanding Saqr Terminal to handle 800,000 teu by 2009. This will be followed by a third-phase expansion bringing the port’s capacity to 3 million teu by 2012.”
Saqr Port has four deep-water berths and a draft of 12 m at mean low water spring tide. The container area is 200,000 sq m.
Earlier this year, the Sima Tina, operated by feeder operator Simatech Shipping, berthed at the RAK container terminal, marking the first direct container service between Saqr Port and Umm Qasr in Iraq. This service has been added to the current Gulf services that directly link Ras Al Khaimah with Bandar Abbas, Karachi, Mundhra and Mumbai.
KGL PI won in May 2006 a 40-year concession agreement with Damietta Port Authority (DPA) for constructing, developing and operating a new container terminal at the port.
Damietta International Ports Company (Dipco), an international consortium led by KGL PI, has been established to manage the project which is set for completion in 2009.
The new terminal will transform Damietta port into a major transshipment hub in the eastern Mediterranean, KGL PI says.
In Kuwait, the home base of KGL PI, the company has been operating since December 2004 a container terminal at Shuaiba Industrial Area, 45 km south of Kuwait City with state-of-the-art technology in handling containers and RoRo operations.
The company has achieved the ISO 9001:2000 certification for its container terminal and RoRo operations.
“The dynamism of the Kuwait economy, driven by both regional and global factors, has brought a boom in traffic levels and KGL PI has risen to the challenge. In addition to open space at Shuaiba Port Container Terminal (SACT), we also have efficient cargo handling systems in place for quicker turnaround times,” the spokesman said.
The company has implemented the mult-million-dollar ports management technology Navis.
SACT is the only purpose-built container terminal in Kuwait with four container berths and a total of 800 m of quay length. It offers container, RoRo, container freight station (CFS), Exchange Area and Projects services.
The container terminal uses straddle carriers for quick unloading and loading of containers. The straddle carriers are equipped with a terminal control system.
The CFS has 14,000 sq m of covered space and specialises in the handling and consolidation of both import and export cargo.
KGL PI operates 5,000 sq m of bonded and unbonded area. Facilities include a secure bond storage facility, consolidation and desegregation of LCL cargo and the stuffing, stripping and rework of containers.
Discussing other facilities, the spokesman says: “Our Exchange Area Service, is the cornerstone of our operation. It’s a strategic solution and an enhancement designed by management to better serve customer needs,
“It is a unique service that eases the headaches of customers and ensures a flawless container delivery process from inside the terminal to outside the terminal, thus eliminating tedious and painstaking procedures and further saving on truck turn time. This cost effective service not only speeds the delivery process but also reduces cargo landing cost, ensuring a 100 per cent benefit to the customer.
“Now, with this new facility built outside but adjacent to the North Gate area near the KPA gate pass office, SACT is proud to provide a quality and highly professionalised service to our valued customers. With this 24-hour operation done at the Exchange Area (EA), customers (SS Line agents) and their consignees are served better for a speedy release of their full import goods and easy drop off of their empty containers.
“We handle over 50,000 teu per year at this facility, delivered safely, courteously and on time. The popularity of the EA is ever growing.”
“All our operations are complemented by the sophisticated computer network, Navis that provides SACT full automation and promotes the utmost in information accuracy and security standards.
“Navis allows us to receive and transfer information electronically to our customers, enabling them to track their cargo while at SACT.”
In addition to traditional port profiles, KGLPI also takes a keen interest in Projects, and has successfully handled major projects for various customers.
“SACT has the people, experience, equipment and facilities to make global shipping quick, reliable and profitable. We welcome the opportunity to serve customers at SACT and provide them with many prominent features.”
It enumerated them as:
• The only purpose-built container terminal in Kuwait
• 880 X m quay length
• Deep draft berths of 14 m
• Three fully operational, 40-tonne gantry cranes
• Open sea port without channel entrance restrictions
• Inter-modal road network, free of congestion
• Shorter and easier access to the main highway system in Kuwait
• Expansive and fully equipped yard to support container storage operations
• Customer-oriented experienced and trained staff capable of efficiently handling stevedore operations for containers and  RoRo units       
During 2007, KGL PI entered into an agreement with United Arab Shipping Corporation to establish a new joint venture project for cleaning and maintaining containers at the Shuaiba containers terminal. This project will add significant value to customer services and increase terminal throughput.