Alexandre Rocha
São Paulo – Construction company Norberto Odebrecht, from Brazil, started the construction of a new maritime terminal in the port of Djibouti, in the capital of Djibouti, in the second quarter of this year. This is the first company construction in an Arab country and is the result of a contract with Dubai Ports International (DPI), a company belonging to the Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC).
According to information provided by the company, the terminal, which should be ready up to the end of 2005, should serve for the loading and offloading of bulk liquids (mainly oil and derivatives) and is going to count on two platforms. The first will be 68.5 metres long by 15 metres wide and will have a capacity to receive vessels of up to 80 thousand tonnes. The other will be 56 metres long and 15 metres wide and will be capable of receiving vessels transporting up to 30,000 tonnes.
Odebrecht is also going to build a 197.5 metre access bridge connecting the platforms to the continent and another bridge, 74 metres long, connecting both platforms. Apart from that, the company will install four docking "dolphins," structures where vessels may dock so as to wait for their turn to load or offload, and a one kilometre long "access enrockment", a barrier that protects the terminal from the action of maritime currents, to include a maintenance road and piping.
According to information provided by Emirates News Agency, this project will have investment of US$ 30 million by DPI, which has been administering Djibouti Port since 2000. But that is not where it ends. According to paper Khaleej Times, from the Emirates, PCFC plans to invest another US$ 300 million in the construction of a new container terminal. In June, authorities from Djibouti and PCFC executives inaugurated a free trade zone in Djibout, similar to those existing in the Emirates, like Jebel Ali, in Dubai.
Although it is a poor country and has few natural resources, Djibouti is strategically located in the so-called "Horn of Africa", between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, on the Indian Ocean. According to Khaleej Times, the location is considered an "ideal entry" to the African continent and rapid development of the free zone is expected in years to come.
Office in the Emirates
Odebrecht opened an office in Dubai last year with the objective of finding clients in the region, and the contract with DPI was closed at the beginning of this year. The construction is supervised by a "contract director" which includes a team of six people, all Brazilian. The labour, however, is local.
Odebrecht is the largest construction company in Brazil and is currently present in 16 countries. Among the main markets, according to the company, are the United States, Portugal, Venezuela and Peru. Last year, the company had revenues of around US$ 1.58 billion, being 81% of this total obtained from international operations (US$ 1.28 billion using the currency at the time).
The company, which was established 60 years ago and has been operating abroad for 25, employed 20,600 people in 2003, being 6,250 abroad.
Odebrecht revenues are greater than the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Djibouti (US$ 630.16 million in 2003). The country, the last French African colony to become independent, has a population of 700,000 people and port activities are the main sector of the country economy.
