MIDDLE EAST

Aiming upward

18 years ago

Kuwait also has its possibilities – and its problems. Easily one of the richest nations on earth, Kuwait collapsed as the regions premier trade hub in the 1970s after the 1980-88 Iraq-Iran war, and Iraqs 1990 invasion.

However, existing container terminals at Shuwaikh and Shuaiba are now doing quite well despite the inefficiency of the government, red tape and insufficient infrastructure, all of which has often lead shipping to choose other ports in the Gulf. According to Kuwait Ports Authority, combined capacity has more than doubled in the last eight years to over 900,000 teu, with throughput figures expected to show a 14% rise last year.

There are also moves to increase efficiency: Shuwaikh is to benefit from dredging and new equipment, while operators KGL Ports International are going to modernise the box terminal at Shuaiba with an additional $60m investment.

There is also the on-again-off-again Boubyan development which has suffered from Kuwait’s political turmoil – a project which will involve a port area of 250,000 sq metres including a giant container terminal, storage area and oil depot, and infrastructure of a 1.6km bridge and a road system.

It may have an interesting future as it borders Iraq, and there has been some talk of both Kuwait and Iraq using the facility, although at present how this might be achieved is still unclear.