Israel announces tender for Ashdod and/or Haifa terminals

The government’s move to reform the country’s ports is in defiance of threats of action to prevent the development of competing private ports by the country’s powerful labour unions. The tender is aimed at global operators who will compete for a concession for the operations of Ashdod’s Southport terminal and/or Haifa’s Bayport terminals.

Back in May, Yisrael Katz, Israel’s transportation minister, said: “I decided to end the situation in which militant unions take advantage of the power in their hands and get privileges at the expense of the general public”.  He added that the militant committees would not have a veto to prevent competition.

To be built on reclaimed land, the new facilities will be designed with two quays, with a total of some 1600 m length and maximum waterside depth of 17.3 m, to be capable of handling ULCC vessels, including ‘Triple Es’.