Doraleh Port to link with Ethio-Djibouti rail

The most modern port in the region, Doraleh Multipurpose Port (DMP), has announced that it will officially commence the link with Ethio-Djibouti Railway Line in the beginning of the coming New Year.
The port, which is the biggest not only in Djibouti but in east Africa, has officially started operation in June 2017. So far it has provided the best services to clients mainly for Ethiopians, according to Wahib Dahir Aden, CEO of DMP, who met Ethiopian journalists this month.
The railway line will be connected in the near future. “The work from the other port called SGTD or the former DCT, container terminal, has already started to connect with our port,” the CEO said.
“The first lines will be connected initially in the coming two months,” he said.
“In this port we have a capacity of accommodating a big vessel of dry bulk, for instance a vessel with 80,000 metric tons of dry cargo arrived at the port for the first time and this reduced costs,” the CEO explained. The arrival of these huge vessels with a big carrying capacity means from five to USD 7 less per ton for the clients. The port with its naturally high depth is considered as one of the best in the port industry.
Big vessels are the game changers in terms of significant reduction of costs and would accelerate the land fleet with the line that will be connected in the coming months. according to the top official.
Last fiscal year RoRo cargo declined because there were not as many active importers, the CEO explained. For the past budget year due to the hard currency shortage in Ethiopia the rate of cargo has gone down. The CEO said that the fleet via his port is maintained except for the vehicles. He added that the hard currency shortage and the political instability during the past period did not affect the DMP business.
He said that the port has changed the whole process of the logistics chain in Djibouti and also for final customers that are Ethiopian import, export actors.
“It makes things more smooth and efficient than before. For example the truck arrangement is done prior the arrival to the port and the vessel arrival,” the CEO said. This has allowed the truck and vessel’s stay to be shorter than before which reduced unnecessary extra costs, according to Wahib Dahir.
In 2018 the port has handled five million tons. “The reports we get from the major liners like Messina and Ethiopian shipping, and forwarders were very good which shows the operation was successful,” the CEO said.