2023-09-19 09:44:31
The port of Enfidha constitutes a megaproject which will certainly transform the region of this city and its surrounding towns. Obviously, the economic and social situation will improve further and new horizons will be offered to boost the development of the Tunisian economy and make this region one of the most renowned and profitable centers of economic development in Tunisia. To this end, we contacted Ridha Chiba, international export advisor, to better explain the situation of this project and especially its strategic importance, its various advantages on an economic and social scale as well as the obstacles facing the project and which are at the origin of the blockages for its realization on time and in the best possible conditions. Interview.
Why did the Tunisian state choose the Enfidha region to build the port?
In fact, the choice of this region remains the result of an in-depth and scrupulous study taking into consideration several criteria. We can cite, first of all, the strategic location of the site and its proximity to important ports connecting the various continents. It is also a deep-water port which allows it to permanently accommodate all types of ships, including those with a significant draft which is the height of the submerged part of the boat which varies in depending on the load carried. It corresponds to the vertical distance between the waterline and the lowest point of the hull, i.e. the keel. The port can also have good depth channels which allow access to deep waters of around nineteen meters.
It is important to emphasize the non-existence of land problems for the creation of the port and the area surrounding it, as well as the excellent accessibility for the Enfidha region through land and rail routes.
The port is 40 km from Sousse, 100 km from Tunis and 170 km from Sfax by highway.
This is in addition to the interior regions of Tunisia, which will be offered other opportunities to ensure their imports and exports more easily.
The establishment of an autonomous port in the Enfidha region will allow the decongestion of other ports such as that of Radès.
What is the port of Enfidha? What will the details of the project be?
The port complex of the port of Enfidha will be built in principle over a total area of 3,000 ha. It will include the port and its components which will cover 1,000 ha and the economic and logistics zone over an area of 2,000 ha.
The port of Enfidha will have a capacity of four million tonnes and will be able to receive approximately 4.8 million 20-foot containers, with an operational capacity of 52,000 direct and indirect jobs. For containers, there will be 2.4 km for the quay terminal, 132 ha of land areas and 18 meters of depth for the draft. For the conventional, there will be 1.4 km of quays for the terminal, 35 ha of land areas and 15 meters of depth for the draft.
The access channel is 2.3 km long, 350 meters wide and 19 meters deep. The turning circle will have a diameter of 900 meters and a depth of 19 meters.
How will funding for this project be ensured?
The financing of this megaproject will be provided at the rate of 60% from the State. The latter will be responsible for carrying out several actions, namely dredging, protective works in addition to walls and quays.
The private sector will participate with 40% to carry out other works. He will be responsible for the equipment, development and earthworks of the medians. The total cost of the project must exceed 3,000 million Tunisian dinars.
What are the main opportunities that this megaproject can offer?
Several opportunities may be available to different stakeholders in the maritime, logistics, industrial, commercial and tertiary sectors. This project will contribute to the modernization of port infrastructure by creating a new generation port that meets international logistics requirements. As we have already said, this project will decongest Tunisian ports, mainly the port of Radès, and replace other ports whose draft types are low.
This project will also have the merit of creating a synergy and a grouping of interests between the port and the economic, logistical and industrial activity zones of the region. It will meet the requirements of the country’s economic development.
The port will also be used for transhipment and dispatching for ships that are not on line for their final destinations. The deep water port of Enfidha will serve as an international trade and services platform allowing Tunisia to open up to the outside world by encouraging logistics and industrial activities by taking advantage of the different modes of transport that are offered nearby. In the region. Furthermore, it is a project which will further enhance the Enfidha area essentially on a land, industrial and commercial scale. It will thus constitute the first milestone of a new large-scale economic city. The new port will certainly constitute significant potential for direct and indirect job creation.
Why then this inertia and this stagnation to carry out this project?
The port of Enfidha will remain perfectly profitable, will undoubtedly change the face of the region and will contribute considerably to the economic and social development of our country. However, it has remained in a stand-by situation for a long time.
In fact, to financially support this major project, the Tunisian government has expressed its desire, since 2022, to guarantee a large sum of credit to build the port. But the situation still remains status quo!
In our opinion, the obstacles which hinder the realization of this project are mainly the lack of will, the insufficiency of financing resources, the cumbersomeness of the Tunisian administration and the embarrassment of choice of the company which will be responsible for the construction port. Truly, there are six companies that were in the race to undertake this project, namely: the groups “Bouygues” (France) and “China Harbor Engineering Company LTD” (Chec) —second largest dredging company in the world— would be the big favorites ahead of the others including the French “Eeffage” and “Vinci construction grand projects”. Apparently, the Chinese company is in the best position but frankly we do not understand why this project has been dragging on since 2007, despite the efforts made upstream for its realization.
What can you add in conclusion?
Major projects remain essential for a country that wishes to promote itself further, achieve the best performance and achieve convincing and brilliant results that go hand in hand with its planning and designs. It is in these megaprojects like that of the port of Enfidha that the State must invest to create wealth, boost economic activities, ensure positive development rates, encourage jobs and establish a balance between the economic and the social.
Why then this inertia, this stagnation, all this wasted time and a lot of money squandered for the realization of this project?!
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