Middle East operator Gulftainer has confirmed that it is actively involved in "new ventures" in Iraq.
Speaking to Port Strategy, Gulftainer's group commercial manager Keith Nuttall said: "The company is currently pursuing several new ventures in Iraq which are expected to come to fruition soon."
No stranger to expansion, Gulftainer has consolidated its overseas activities in Turkey and Pakistan, as well as the Comores, where it is into the third year of a port management contract.
On home turf, the multi-million dollar expansion of Khorfakkan Container Terminal (KCT) is expected to be completed early in 2010, increasing berthage by 400 m and boosting handling capacity with four new Liebherr super post-panamax (megamax) gantry cranes with tandem lift facility.
"The pace of container traffic growth at Sharjah's terminals has been such that Gulftainer and the Sharjah Port Authority accepted that more investment was needed to keep up with demand and both terminals are being expanded to cater for future growth," said Mr Nuttall.
"In addition to KCT, at Sharjah Container Terminal (SCT), an additional berth, situated at 90 degrees to the current terminal, will also be utilised for container traffic. The terminal's overall draught will be improved to 12.5 m and an additional container storage area of 30,000 sq m will be made available for RTGs and back-up equipment."
