Despite the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, or perhaps specifically because of this crisis, in which Ashdod Port serves as a central artery for importing goods and raw materials in order to ensure that the Israeli economy can continue to function without interruption, the necessity of this project is clear.
This is a complex engineering project that includes preparing Platform 24 for use, and it is being conducted simultaneously with another significant project in which the depth of Platform 21 is being increased so that it is suitable for the docking of megaships in its eastern section and grain ships in its western section.
In the framework of the work to upgrade Platform 21, this platform had to be shut down. As a result, bulk and general cargo ships will be directed to other platforms, including the new Platform 24, in order to receive operational service.
The preparations for making the new platform operational include transferring two cranes and two pneumatic continuous ship unloaders for the unloading of grain, and also the addition of an engineering structure in the water called a Dolphin, which is used to extend the platform in order to tie megaships. In addition, traffic arrangements were made to allow for simultaneous traffic of trucks carrying general cargo, containers and bulk cargo.
Shiko Zana, CEO of Ashdod Port adds: “Preparing and upgrading the platforms is part of an extensive plan to advance and develop the port's infrastructure, in order to improve the service that we provide our customers and to allow Ashdod Port to compete with the new ports that are presently being built".
The project was managed and executed by the Logistics Division, the Operations Division and the Traffic Safety Officer.