ADDIS ABABA- The ongoing expansion activities of ports in neighboring countries are in good progress aimed at advancing the nation’s port access and improving shipping and logistics services, Ethiopian Maritime Affairs Authority announced Approached by The Ethiopian Herald, the Authority Communication Affairs Director Yeshi Fekade said that as port is a backbone of foreign trade, the country is now making use all port options in the region to expedite such trade activities and assist the economic growth.
The port development has been also taking place in light with the ever increasing number of industries in the country, she noted. “Therefore, expanding port options is critical to save time, money and energy in freight movement as it allows the country to use the nearby port in each corner. Similarly, it helps the government to provide national consumption in all sectors with improved import.”
Likewise, Yeshi stated participating in port development would enable the country to fix tariff, work in cooperation with stakeholders to solve problems in the area and improve the nation’s capacity to negotiate in the logistics services. Today, the country is undertaking port development option in Berbera, Somaliland, following the recent negotiation between both countries’ senior government officials. In this project Ethiopia has 19 percent share of the general port development, she indicated.
The reopening of the Eritrea’s ports to Ethiopia has also created another important opportunity to the country’s endeavor to have access to port in the northern part. It is supportive for increased commodities exchange and people’s movement between the countries and to the world.
This would assist the socioeconomic sector in both countries, according to Yeshi. The agreement with Eritrea deals with facilitating conditions to Ethiopia to use Eritrea’s ports without preconditions. A committee has also been established by the countries to facilitate circumstances and to finalize legal conditions, she underlined.
Meanwhile, the country is also expanding the development of dry ports in order to make ease the load from sea ports and to avert unnecessary costs paid for delay in moving commodities, Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics Services Enterprise Ashebir Nota Public Relations Team Leader told.
Today the country has seven dry ports in Modjo, Kaliti, Dire Dawa, Kobolcha and Mekele towns among others. It is also working to develop additional ports in Hawassa and Woreta towns in order to expand its ports and serve the increasing number of customers, he said.
According to him, the Enterprise is working with more than thousands of importers, exporters and transporters among others through applying a multimodal system, one-window service which help customers to order, follow and receive property by saving time, money and energy. Moreover, the Enterprise has bought 13 machineries spending over 4.8 million euro to solve customers’ demand on delay of commodities at the ports, he said, adding that seven of the new machineries have already reached at the port of Djibouti.
The Ethiopian Herald, December 4/2018
BY YOHANES JEMANEH
