Container traffic at the Port of Radès saw a significant surge in the first half of this year, with a 17% increase compared to the same period in 2023. These figures were revealed during a meeting between the Port of Radès Director, Karim Nouira, and the General Director of the Office of Merchant Marine and Ports (OMMP), Khaoula Belakhder, as reported by the official news agency on Tuesday, August 27.
It was also reported that the number of ships docking at the port has increased markedly, up 17% compared to the first half of 2023, totaling 650 commercial vessels as of June 30.
Furthermore, the Port of Radès accounts for 21% of the overall traffic in the sector, handling 79% of containerized cargo tonnage, 76% of cargo loaded in rolling units, 76% of container traffic measured in TEUs, 80% of rolling units traffic, and 18% of vessel traffic across all commercial ports in the country.
It is worth noting that on April 30, 2024, the Minister of Equipment and Urbanism and former Acting Minister of Transport, Sarah Zaafrani Zenzeri, visited the Port of Radès to address the myriad issues reported over the years by economic operators, investors, and business leaders, which had made the port one of the worst in the world. The Minister emphasized the need for greater efficiency in loading and unloading operations, customer delivery, repair of breakdowns, daily work oversight, and more.
Ms. Zenzeri revisited the port on August 7, 2024, and announced the creation of a commission led by the Ministry of Transport. The goal: to continuously monitor the port’s performance. On paper, this activism and commitment appear to have yielded tangible results, as evidenced by the notable increase in container traffic in the first half of 2024. Further improvements are anticipated with the operation of the commission established by the Minister.
Source: tunisie numerique
