Biggest construction project in Israeli history

The Port of Ashdod is currently undergoing the largest construction project ever undertaken in the history of Israel. In 1999, Israel news media reported that the government wanted to double the cargo capacity of Ashdod, an ambitious construction project was therefore envisioned, involving the building of new piers, new docks, warehouses and cargo handling equipment. It was to take place in two stages, with the total project costing around $500 million.

“We have a lot of vessels waiting outside the port every day, and we are very congested,” Yosef Bassani, deputy port manager told Isreal news media at the time the first stage of expansion was being considered and designed. Both stages of the expansion will amount to the creation of a second port, Hayovel which will be directly adjacent to Ashdod, but on the northern side, functionally rendering the two ports as one entity.

Ashdod was opened as a port in the 1960’s and since then has not had any significant expansion, while the number of ships using the port, and the amount of cargo being handled, has increased significantly. Between 1993 and 1994, for example, the port registered a 6% increase in cargo handling with 14.2 million tons of cargo entering Israel through Ashdod in 1994. By 1999, that figure has increased to 16.2 million tons.

Stage one of the expansions has therefore provided much-needed additional capacity. The main breakwater that protects the harbor was extended by 1150 meters and an entire new construction terminal was built, capable of handling Super Post-Panamax vessels, these are massive leviathans that are not capable of transiting the Panama Canal due to their size.

In addition, a general cargo terminal and dry bulk terminal were built as well. Five new quays were thereby created, with a combined area of 1700 meters. This entire new section was called Eitan Terminal in honor of retired IDF Chief of Staff Rafael Eiten who was swept off the harbor’s breakwater in rough weather during construction.

The second phase is just as extensive with the further extension of the breakwater by 900m and the construction of another new terminal with four new quays. This second stage is still in the design period. Work was meant to begin in 2008, but ongoing disputes over the privatization of the harbor have created delays.

Once the second stage is complete, the port will be capable of handling 9 additional vessels at the same time and will have 600,000 square meters dedicated to the handling and storage of cargo.

The expansion project, therefore, will see the port more than double in size and cement its role in the Israeli economy.