Cargoes at Ashdod Port up 16% in 9 months

The Ashdod Port company reported last week a 16% rise in container traffic in January-September compared with the corresponding quarter last year.
 
Total number of containers moved through the port in the nine months period was TEU 449,545. an increase of TEU 60,980,compared to the parallel period in 2004.
 
Cargo traffic at Ashdod Port (imports and exports) rose 9% in January-September, amounting to 653,000 tons in cargo. Total number of ships that called at the port during the nine months period was 1,998 an increase of 14% ( 244 ships ) compared to the parallel period in 2004.
 
Average operational waiting time improved 45%, from 15 hours last year to 8.2 hours.
 
Passenger ships which had no service in recent years returned to the port last April. Since their return, 49 ships called at the port bringing over 52,000 passengers to the country.
 
In a statement issued by the port the chair person Mrs. Iris Shtark noted that 100 new workers had been recruited since February 2005 and that preparations were being made for the recruitment of additional 100 new workers.

Shtark also noted that the port reform made it possible to increase efficiency and provide better service to foreign flag ship operators which decided to call at the port with their high container capacity ships.