Strategic Grain Terminal in Fujairah—Latest News

The Strategic Grain Terminal is one of Fujairah’s big projects.

It was included in the presentation by the Municipality’s Chief Engineer, Sohail Iqbal, to enthuse French business representatives and investors at the France-Fujairah Forum on 29 September 2011.

Statistics

Mr. Iqbal stated these details about the Strategic Grain Terminal in Fujairah, UAE:

+ 20 Concrete silos (28 metres diameter and 42 metres high).

+ 14 silos for wheat and 6 silos for rice.

+ Total area occupied is approximately 45,000 square metres.

+ Storage capacity of 275,000 metric tons (MT)—215,000MT of wheat and 60,000MT of rice.

+ Throughput per annum—Minimum: 200,000MT; Maximum: 1,800,000MT.

Design

Mr. Iqbal added these details about the Strategic Grain Terminal project:

+ The design and surrounding area can accommodate the addition of 30 more silos to expand in the future to a grain storage capacity of 700,000MT.

+ There is a two-way 1.2 km conveyor belt that connects the storage silos to the shipping berth at the grain terminal (see photo)

Date

The expected date for the completion of this current stage is December 2011.

Construction Details

+ The China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) was awarded the contract on June 2010 when the construction period (commencing September 2010) was planned to take one year.

+ The value of the contract awarded by the Abu Dhabi Investment Company is Dh478m or $US130m.

+ The purpose of the project is not only to provide sufficient grain reserves for the UAE but also to provide an important grain transfer hub for other countries in the Arabian Gulf.

Ramifications

+ This is an Abu Dhabi initiated project and as with the oil pipeline from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah, the strategic location of the eastern port is highlighted as well as the difficulties and extra cost of getting ships through the Arabian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz in times of war and international tension.

+ The Strategic Grain Storage project and terminal represents a diversification of industry for Fujairah and its port. While Fujairah is the second largest oil bunkering port in the world (and still growing) this project illustrates that Fujairah is also involved in grain bunkering with the potential to develop in the future.

+ The silos are being constructed by a Chinese company and thus this project represents a growing business and trade relationship between Fujairah and China.

Further

Fujairah Grain Silos to Guard Against Food Shortages, FIF, 14 March 2011.

France-Fujairah Forum

Several articles have been posted on this France-Fujairah business forum, held in Fujairah on 29 September 2011. Go to this article and follow the links that it includes.

Other Big Projects in Fujairah 2011 Include...

Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Highway Between Dubai and Fujairah-Latest News, FIF, 5 October 2011.

Geoff Pound

More Fujairah news, information, photos and videos are posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Images: The photo, from the top of the silos, was taken by Alex Wang, who works on the CHEC project. The other photos are drawn from Sohail Iqbal’s Powerpoint Presentation and are used with thanks.