DP World paves the way for Algeria persence

Mr Thaniah characterised negotiations between DP World and the Algerian Ministries of Transportation and Investment Promotion as having made progress, with a partnership agreement likely to be signed in the foreseeable future.

This statement goes someway towards contradicting pronouncements make by Algeria’s State Shareholdings Minister Abdelhamid Temmar. He has given reassurances to union representatives that Algiers container terminal will not be offered to Dubai Port Group without “competitive bidding”. If that is the case, why is the government in Algiers continuing to talk to DP World? Why have no other international operators been linked with the deal?

A report appeared in the Algiers newspaper El Khakar in August last year also linking DP World with the project to build a container terminal at Djen Djen in the north-eastern Jijel province. Although details are scarce, the United Arab Emirates-based operator is reportedly willing to pay $70m upfront and then plough in $150m in outfitting the terminal and modernising existing infrastructure. A joint venture management company would then be put in place.

As with Algiers, a suggested end-of-year announcement on a definitive deal did not happen.