Mersin International Port (MIP) is a 50/50 joint venture between Singaporean operator PSA and Turkish investment company Akfen Holding. The port, which has 21 berths, handled 1.38 million TEUs last year. Its owners now want to make it the main container hub in the Eastern Mediterranean to service mega-vessels.
A ground breaking ceremony for the expansion project took place on March 18th.
The works will allow the Mersin facility to service the largest containerships currently in operation. These giants of the sea, which can carry up to 18,000 boxes, are 400m long, 59m wide, and have a draught of 14.5m. They stack containers 23 rows wide across the deck. MIP will be putting into service four quay cranes with an outreach of 23 rows.
The works will allow the Mersin facility to service the largest containerships currently in operation. These giants of the sea, which can carry up to 18,000 boxes, are 400m long, 59m wide, and have a draught of 14.5m. They stack containers 23 rows wide across the deck. MIP will be putting into service four quay cranes with an outreach of 23 rows.
Investment in the new berth and equipment will amount up to $160 million, says MIP.
The first phase of the expansion is expected to be completed by the end of next year.
Upon completion of the whole project, the port will have an annual handling capacity of 2.6 million TEUs. MIP says that it will then have the largest container terminal capacity in Turkey.
Source: Port Finance International
