Introduction

Safaga (Abu tartur) seaport is located on the western coast of the red sea. It is one of the seaports constructed by the state especially for shipment of Phosphate to world markets. The port includes a dry bulk terminal outfitted with integrated mechanical equipment for loading the Phosphate aboard the ships. The Phosphate is mined at Abu tartur area, New Valley, southwest of Egypt and mainly transported by a 680 km railway line from Abu tartur to the port. Safaga (Abu tartur) port was inaugurated early in the year 2000. Adjacent to the port, Safaga Commercial Port exists.

Administration and operation of the port

The Industrial and Mining Projects Authority (IMPA), Ministry of Trade and Industry, (owner and Consultant of the project) rmade the technical studies, designs and contracts in cooperation with local and global firms in addition to contracting, financing, supervising, handing over and administration of the port to date. IMPA provides storage and cargo services to the account of Egyptian companies and customers according  to relevant rules and fees.

Management, marketing, technical support and follow up of the port are carried out by IMPA’s staff.

Operation, maintenance, control and monitoring of loading, unloading and handling systems are executed through latest computerized techniques relying on a specialized team of engineers, technicians and labors.

IMPA provides all technical support, consultations and designs to meet the needs of customers and companies that have transactions with the port and seek separate stevedoring and services to be linked with the current handling system against fair and competitive consultation fees.

The port works constantly to fulfill the handling process in the shortest possible time round the clock all the year.

The port receives all types of trucks (tipcarts, trailers), of capacities up to 70-ton weight.

The port is registered as an integrated customs zone. The port holds the ISPS Code and has a certificate of distinction (2015) from the Egyptian Ministry of Transportation as a minerals designated port.

Scope of Vision

Due to its distinctive location on the Red Sea, readiness, available manpower and extendibility in the industrial and mining direction besides the promising investment opportunities, IMPA looks forward to effectively contribute in the regional transaction system, maximize the benefits of current potentials of the port and develop the same coping with modern trends to serve multiple purposes and activities; (industrial /mining), and multiple directions (exporting and importing). IMPA also plans to turn the port into an integrated logistic station to support investment activities and growing industrial and mining activities and meeting the required needs in future. The port is planned to be an important economic outlet coping with current development, and to promote Egypt’s economic growth side by side with neighboring countries.

  • Assignment and targets

    • Provision of distinctive port services against flexible competitive fees.
    • Maximizing the benefits of dry bulk terminal, developing its logistic services and increasing its added value level and competitive abilities to face market fluctuations. This can be attained through diversifying handling activities, trends and requirements, handling of all available types of goods and relevant operations, raising terminal’s performance average and developing related administrative services system.
    • Applying environmental, health, safety and security criteria and the ISPS code.
    • Supporting manufacturing industries and new projects to transform raw materials (query extracts and minerals) into end products ready for export to maximize benefits of raw materials, in particular phosphate fertilizers, construction materials and strategic goods. The port can consequently contribute in the cycle of supply chain.
    • Benefitting from private sector partnership to attract potential local and global investment opportunities that suit the port’s potentialities, as well as making use of its capacities and competencies such as finance, flexibility, speed, specialization and high technology.
    • Marketing port services domestically and abroad and transferring and exchanging development experience.
    • Developing the port to be a core for a new generation of frontier specialized industrial zones that focus on increasing domestic manufacture ratio of the natural resources and exporting Egyptian products at high standards.
    • Minimizing food shortage and controlling monopoly of goods.
    • Supporting Egypt’s regional role and integration with neighboring local and foreign ports and making use of international trade agreements.
    • Provision of good chances for young investors and employment opportunities for Lower Egypt inhabitants.
    • Making use of experience in Safaga (Abutartur) port and establishing typical ports by IMPA relying on its consultant and executive experience in the field of industrial zones and projects.

  • An environment friendly port

    • Materials are stacked inside closed warehouses.
    • Unloading stations are closed and provided with modern types of dust aspiration and suppression machines.
    • All conveyor belts are totally closed.
    • Transfer towers between conveyor belts are closed and provided with dust suppressors.
    • Quay gantry crane complies with environment standards and are equipped with a telescopic loading arm, connected to an automatic system of dust aspiration and suppression.
    • Only query rocks can be stored in an open storage yard.

  • Safety and Security

    • The port is equipped with modern fire alarm system.
    • Sensitive places are provided with automatic extinguishing system using suitable fire fighting gases.
    • The port is equipped with complete fire fighting pump station (Jokey, electrical and diesel pumps) complying with NFPA Code.
    • All buildings are provided with portable fire extinguishers.
    • The port includes a separate fire fighting unit provided with a fire fighting car and a training yard conforming to civil protection provisions.
    • The port is secured against flooding risks by a number of external lakes and barriers.

The port is registered in conformity with the International Ship and Port facilities Security Code ISPS

  • Location

    The port is located on the western coast of the Red Sea, south of the city of Safaga (km 3.3 – 4.6 Safaga –Alkoser highway), close to the entrance of the Gulf of Suez, 65 km’s from Hurghada, 6 km’s to the south of Safaga Commercial Seaport.
  • Coordinates

    Longitude   : 33 ° 57´ east

    Latitude      : 26° 44´ north

  • Natural characteristics

    Stable dry weather prevails along the year, suitable for navigation and different activities.
  • Weather

    wind direction: North west, south east
  • Relative Water density

    1.4 g/ cm³
  • Rainy season

    winter
  • Tide

    1.2 – 2.1 m

Navigational Pilotage

Pilotage is operated by The Red Sea Ports Authority through marine units available at the neighboring Safaga Commercial Seaport.

Navigational characteristics

Characteristics of the navigational channel and the straits (draught 15 m.)

Land area of the port: 636450 m², divided as follows

  • A fenced area of 360450 m² including an integrated customs area. The current unoccupied area is 297000m².
  • A 252000 m² wire-fenced unoccupied space for future extension, south of the port’s current wall.
  • An outer 24000 m² wire-fenced unoccupied space , west of the port’s current wall, including an accommodation house for workers.
  • Quay area is a 15600 m²; 260m x 60m.

Main components of current dry bulk terminal

  • Phosphate unloading terminal.
  • Main phosphate storehouse (50 x230m), of 100000 ton capacity is equipped with conveyor belts and a dry bulk stacker and scraper of 1500 ton/h capacity. Two different materials of raw phosphate can be stored in the same storehouse with a vacant separating space.
  • Customers’ storehouses and storage yards.
  • A 100 m wide service area located between port units containing the conveyor belts that connect the storehouse and export berth, with 1.5 km operating length and a 1500 ton/hour capacity. The area is integrated with gangue magnetic separators, electronic scale installed on the conveyor belts and switching tower for phosphate routes.
  • Export pier that extends for 135 meters from the shore and then extends at a width of 60 m, a length of 260 m and a draught of 14 m. Ships of tonnage up to 65000 tons can be handled at the port. The berth is provided with “dolphin cleats”, (extendable up to 70 m length). The berth is equipped with a storage backyard for miscellaneous goods. The berth is connected to the port by a passage at the northern part and a vehicles bridge at the southern part.
  • A 1500 ton/hour capacity rail-driven ship loader at the export berth, equipped with an environment friendly telescopic loader.
  • A 120 ton weight electronic bascule scale.
  • A computerized operation and control station for loading, unloading and handling (Scada system), located in a separate building. Each unit (unloading station, main storehouse, ship loader) is facilitated with a local operation system handled by a specialized team of engineers and technicians.

Dry bulk terminal

  • Facilities and service units at the port

    • Administrative building.
    • Police station and firefighting station.
    • Maintenance workshops.
    • Four main electricity transformers.
    • Four Standby diesel generators, 1.5 MVA each.
    • 100 m³ freshwater ground tank and pump station to supply the port and the ships with freshwater.
    • Electric outlet at the berth.
    • Telephone network.
    • Cable network linking stations and units.
    • Cable network to supply the equipment with 11 k v and supply the belt conveyors with 380 v current.
    • Car parking shed.
    • Watchtower, guarding at fences and gates.
    • Rest house.
    • Lakes lock outside the port through the mountains to control possible torrential stream for port protection.
    • Navigational signs for Safaga port access channel including:
    • Radio control system.
    • Marine units

  • Port prequalification

    Activities and customers:Exporting raw phosphate for Misr Phosphate Co. ,El Nasr Mining Co. , Red sea Mining Co. and kayan Co. (at an actual capacity double of the design capacity of 500000 tons/year), and for Abuzaabal Fertilizers and Chemicals (at a design capacity of 500000 ton/year).

    Sorting, washing and exporting raw quartz rocks for DYM Mining Co. and Reliance Mining Co.

  • Miscellaneous activities

    The following shipments are received on demand in coordination with the Port and competent authority:

    • Imported livestock, transported to quarantine and slaughterhouse outside the port.
    • Exported packed cement.
    • Packed sugar.
    • Supplying ships with water and fuel.
    • Passenger ships.

Major importers of phosphate: India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Srilanka.