SEATTLE (Oil Monster): Sudan’s Sea Ports Corporation and Suakin Petroleum have signed a contract to finance, build and operate a specialized marine berth and storage facility for liquefied gas at Suakin on the Red Sea coast.
The agreement was signed on November 8 under a build-operate-transfer model following nearly a year of negotiations.
Suakin Petroleum is a joint venture involving Turkish company Argaz and Sudanese company Petrodar.
The new berth is planned at a depth of 12 meters and is expected to handle gas carriers with capacity of up to 5,000 tons.
A storage facility with capacity of about 28,000 tons is planned roughly 150 meters from the berth.
Sudanese officials said the project is intended to strengthen the country’s gas-import infrastructure, build strategic reserves and improve supply reliability.
The contract follows an earlier memorandum of understanding signed in July for development of a specialized gas terminal at Suakin.
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The Suakin project fits into a broader Sudanese push to modernize Red Sea ports and strengthen domestic fuel logistics. Earlier assessments identified limited storage and port infrastructure as recurring constraints on fuel availability, while Sudan has also been seeking foreign investment to expand its role as a logistics gateway for neighbouring African markets.
Sudan’s Sea Ports Corporation said the terminal could also strengthen maritime and logistics services for landlocked African countries and other Red Sea markets.
Officials have been promoting wider investment in Sudan’s eastern ports, including new terminals, storage facilities and transport links designed to improve domestic supply and regional trade.
The key milestone is construction over the planned 24-month period. Financing, final technical specifications and the project’s eventual gas-supply arrangements will determine how quickly the terminal can begin supporting Sudan’s domestic market.
Courtesy: www.sudantribune.com
