Algeria’s Transport Ministry is inviting companies to submit bids by 30 November to carry out a study for a new port in the country, planned to be in the central region between Algiers and Tenes.

The Transport Ministry says a new port has become a necessity, as a result of increasing congestion as volumes have increased at its main port of Algiers. A new maritime gateway would also relieve pressure on other Algerian ports such as Bejaia, Tenes and Oran. Currently, there is no existing timeline for the new port project.

In 2009, DP World took over the operations of ports at Algiers and Djen-Djen in a joint venture partnership with the Algerian government (MEED 1:6:09). While the port in the capital will be mainly redeveloped to serve domestic exports and imports, the aim is to expand Djen Djen and turn it into a trans-shipment hub for the western Mediterranean.

According to the latest official figures, Algeria’s 10 commercial ports handled about 120 million tonnes of cargo in 2010.