Algerian port city is one of the very most important countries in North Africa and an important trading center. After Sudan’s independence in 2011, Sudan became the largest Mediterranean country. Its capital, Algiers, is located on the Mediterranean coast and is also the country’s largest city. Algeria’s international trade is heavily dependent on energy products (hydrocarbon reserves, petroleum and also related products, etc.), which account for more than 90% of the country’s total exports. Due to Algeria’s location in the northern Mediterranean Sea, 95% of Algeria’s foreign trade is carried out by sea. Fishing plays an important role in northern Algeria. 35 ports function as fishing ports, and 13 ports function as commercial ports for international trade.
Algeria’s total fleet is 1176 DWT (as of 2020), with a total transport capacity of 673,000 DWT, including oil tankers, the bulk carriers, general cargo ships, container ships, and also other small cargo vessels. The total container port handling capacity (number of container ships handled annually) is 1.08 million TEU. Algeria has 13 major commercial ports serving the country’s international commercial shipping needs. Eight ports are general cargo ports, three ports are mixed ports, and two ports are energy ports.
5 Major Ports of Algeria
1. Port Of Algiers:
The Algerian port city is one of the largest deep-water ports. The channel is 22.9 meters deep, and the cargo pier is 7.6 meters long. The port was built on the slopes of the Sahelian hills and stretches for up to 16 miles along the Gulf of Algiers. Large cities close to the port include Ouaran, Toughout, Adrar, Algiers, and Medda. The Algerian port city is managed and operated by Enterprise Portuaire d’ALGER (EPAL) and also coordinated by the National Maritime Transport Authority and the Algerian Navigation Company. It opened in 1998 and handled 2,200 calls and 4,446,231 TEUs in 2019. The main storage terminal has an area of 282,000 square meters and can store 120,000 tons of goods. Other important facilities in the Port of Algiers are:
- 4,800 square meter potting and stripping center
- 2,000 square meter maintenance workshop
- 1,000 square meter machine park
2. Skikda Port:
Skikda Port is Algeria’s most important oil export port. Oil from the Hassi Messaoud field is transported to the port for export around the world. The port serves as a hub for eastern and southern Algeria, servicing imports and exports from the nearby Safsaf Valley. In addition to energy products, the port also handles imports and exports of metallurgical products, grain imports, large equipment, and other packaged goods. The port is managed by Enterprise Portuaire de SKIKDA and was officially opened in 1982. A new port was built in 2014 and has been handling international oil exports ever since. However, the development of oil pipelines and refinery infrastructure dates back to the 1970s.
3. Arzew Port:
DZAZW SUPPORT owns and also operates the ports of Arzew El Jedid and Bethioua. These ports are important sources of hydrocarbon exports from the Algeria. The Arzew known Port Company was founded in 1982, then went public in 1989, and has been exclusively owned by the Algerian State ever since. The Algerian port city has a navigational depth of 10.4 meters, making it ideal for oil tankers and large container ships. The oil terminal has a depth of 104 meters, and the cargo pier has a depth of 7.6 meters. The maximum ship size the port can accommodate is 500 feet. The port has fixed cranes with capacities ranging from 24 to 49 tons, with an average annual traffic of 3,000 ships and nearly 67 million tons of cargo. The port has ship repair and also maintenance facilities, and the main urban center is connected by a dense rail network.
4. Port Of Oran:
The Port of Oran (also known as Port of Ouaran) is located in the coastal town of Oran. Located in western Alegria, it is a connecting port between Morocco and also the rest of the Mediterranean. Oran has been an important commercial and industrial location in the country since the 1960s. The port is operated and also managed by Entreprise Portuaire d’Oran and also coordinated by the Port Services Group and the known Ministry of Public Works and the Transport.
In 2019, the port’s annual throughput was 278,342 TEU. It has a total of 16 harbor cranes with a capacity of 212 tons each and 19 mobile cranes with a capacity of 480 tons each. The port’s navigation channel has a depth of 10 meters, the cargo pier has a water depth of 4.6 meters, and the oil terminal has a depth of 10.6 meters. The port of Oran is located on the north-south route and handles a lot of general imports and grains. Its proximity to Morocco and Spain allows large volumes of imports between Europe and Africa.
5. Port Of Bejaïa:
The port of Bejaïa is a large deep-sea port and the most important oil port in the western Mediterranean. The port is connected by an oil pipeline to the Hassi Messaoud oil field in the south. The city of Bejaïa has many cork and textile industries and is an important commercial center in northeastern Algeria. Béjaia is located at the foot of Mount Gouraya, and its coastline stretches to the Carboniferous headland. It is located 180 km east of the provincial capital, Algiers. The port is managed and operated by Enterprise Portuaire de Bejaia. The port has a depth of 13.7 meters, making it suitable for larger ships and oil tankers (Panamax and Soup Panamax class vessels).
The cargo pier and oil terminal have an average depth of 9.1 meters. Since the early 2000s, the Port of Bejaïa has mainly handled hydrocarbons and petroleum products. Ensuring the safe navigation and maintenance services of container ships is the port’s main priority. The port has a storage area of about 18,000 square meters and also an open container area of 400,000 square meters. The Port of Bejaïa is the only port in Algeria authorized to handle dangerous goods and has six hangars with an area of 140,000 square meters each.
Conclusion
Algerian port city is one of the most important economic centers in North Africa due to French colonization. Algeria has some of the most important ports, which were originally built and operated by the French to facilitate French colonial exchanges. The gradual development and discovery of oil in the Sahara increases the importance of Algerian ports, as Algerian ports alone cover about 1200 km of coastline. The ports are constantly expanding, and also new facilities are regularly added to improve maritime transport and trade.
