• RAK Ports operates four integrated maritime hubs close to the entrance to the Gulf
• Ideal infrastructure for efficient handling of oversized, breakbulk and project cargoes
• Saqr Port/Freezone is today one of the world’s largest and most efficient bulk ports
• New land reclamation area will create additional breakbulk and general cargo facilities

RAK Ports was on show again at Breakbulk Middle East this week. With over 4,000 professional delegates from 70 countries, the exhibition and conference in Dubai World Trade Centre has become an important annual meeting point for this growing sector of the region’s maritime industry. Saqr/Port and Freezone is today one of the world’s largest and most advanced bulk ports and can handle a phenomenal 11,000 tonnes of dry bulk an hour across deep-water berths capable of handling the world’s largest vessels.

Recent infrastructure investments of US$ 250 million and the latest German heavy-lift technology, including 22 mobile harbour cranes each with a capacity of up to 200 tonnes, has created an optimal environment at Saqr Port/Freezone for the efficient handling of oversized, breakbulk and project cargoes. Add to this ample laydown space, a skilled workforce, and excellent landside connectivity with modern highways connecting Ras Al Khaimah with the rest of the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Oman, and it is no wonder that RAK Ports is being hailed as the new breakbulk gateway to the Gulf.

Roger Clasquin, RAK Ports Chief Executive Officer, said: “At RAK Ports we continue to diversify our capabilities beyond our traditional role as the gateway source of much of the construction material fuelling the economic diversification of the Middle East. Our focus today at the exhibition on breakbulk, simply underscores the critical role that RAK Ports plays in the region’s industrial supply chains and as a key driver in the economic growth of the emirate.”

Located close to on one of the world’s most frequented shipping routes and with drafts alongside of up to 18 metres, Saqr Port/Freezone is no stranger to size when it comes to breakbulk. Recent load-out projects have demonstrated the phenomenal capacity and professional capabilities available at the Port. To accommodate continued growth, a new land reclamation area is currently under construction to extend the current Freezone, and three million tonnes of recycled material from local quarries have already been used in the project. Phase one of the project will include a dedicated general cargo and breakbulk terminal, catering to the region’s needs as the transition from oil and gas to more sustainable and diversified economies continues to gather speed.