Dubai, Apr.15th, 2006 (WAM)-- The eagerly awaited new container berth at Khorfakkan Container Terminal (KCT) in the northern region of the UAE, which is in its final stage, is ready for business, with 400 metre quay wall and 16 metre alongside draft complete.

The four new latest state-of-the-art ship-to-shore Super Post Panamax gantry cranes have been installed and are operational, according to a report on Saturday by the Dubai-based Khaleej Times quoting port officials.

The supporting yard equipment has already arrived and will be commissioned by the end of this month, giving a 25 per cent boost to the available berths and a 100 per cent increase in capacity. Overall, the new berth will raise the port's potential throughput to over three million TEUs (twenty feet equivalent units) a year, the port officials said.

Located on the reverse side of the present facility, the multi-million dollar project will increase KCT's present 1,060 metresof quay by 400 metres.

The new quay to be protected by an 800 metre breakwater is designed to give maximum protection to the new berth, while at the same time providing the easiest possible access for 8,000 plus TEU capacity ships.

The new state-of-the-art ship-to-shore Super Post Panamax gantry cranes will be backed up by sophisticated ground equipment, including new rubber-tyred gantries (RTGs) and road trains.

The new ship-to-shore cranes will bring the total number of gantries in the port to 14.

Barry Coughlan, director and general manager of Gulftainer Co,which has been managing and operating KCT on behalf of Sharjah Ports Authority for almost 20 years, said: "The new berth will make usone of the comparatively few ports in the world, which can handle huge8,000 plus TEUs container ships now being built both in terms of beingable to berth the vessels and work them efficiently."