Mountains move for Port Khorfakken expansion

Much of the dredging to provide 16.5m water depth alongside the quay wall and in the ships’ turning circle has been completed and the infilling operation of the berths foundations is well underway.

Consideration is being given to the ecological importance of the area around Khorfakkan, particularly to local fishermen, throughout construction work for the new berths and breakwater to minimise the impact on the overall environment.

Aggregates for the port expansion are being provided by drill and blast techniques on the adjacent mountain foothills, cutting the 57m high rock outcrop to sea level.

A ‘virtual’ new quarry operation, located adjacent to the Port, is providing the gabbro aggregates and rip rap boulders for the port’s expansion programme with drill and blast specialist Gulf Rock relying on two Sandvik drill rigs to clear the small mountain to sea level, providing further port storage facilities for the port operator’s Gulftainer.

Khorfakkan container port is set to meet the trend for bigger ships which often exceed 8,000 TEU capacity and are over 300m long.

Thus far almost 70 blasts have been carried out, all strictly controlled to reduce vibration to the container port to an absolute minimum. The blasted material is then graded and stockpiled before being barge loaded and towed to the end of the new breakwater or the container pier.

When the expansion programme is completed by the end of the year, six new ship to shore super post-Panamex gantries will be installed. These will be backed up by sophisticated ground equipment including new rubber tyred gantries and road trains. The new ship to shore gantries will bring the port’s total to 20.