Announcement of Somalia - Technical Assistance for Hydraulic Studies for the Port of Mogadiscio on November 27, 1964

l HOL: .' FOR RELEASE TERr\li\TIONAL • 1818 H STREET, N.W .. WASHINGTON D. C. 20433 TELEPHONE: EXECUTIVE 3-6360 For Release SUBJECT: Somalia -- Technical Assistance November 2?, 1964 fo:r Hydraulic Studies for the Port of Mogadiscio The World Bank will organize and help finance studies to determine a suitable site, form and layout for a deep-water port at Mogadiscio, the capi'tal of Somalia. As part of its technical assistance program the Bank will pay the foreign exchange costs while the Government of Somalia will bear the local currency expenses. The Government has engaged the consulting firm SCGREAH, Grenoble, France, to conduct the studies. Somalia., with a population of some 2a5 million, occupies the extreme • eastern tip of Africa facing the Indian Ocean on the east and the Gulf of Aden on the north. Agriculture, and in particular animal husbandry., is the base of the country's econa1\V., and bananas and livestock are its major exports. The 1.,800-ld.lometer coast line of Somalia has no deep-water ports where ocean-going vessels can moor in protected waters along quays. At present, sea-borne trade is carried on through 19 ports ranging from Mogadiscio., which accounts for .31% of the tonnage handled., to rudimentary ports handling a few tons. The four main ports are Mogadiscio., Berbera., Marca and Chisimaio., which together account for 510%. of the country's sea-borne trade. All loading and unloading is by lighter, while ships anchor in the open sea. Lighterage results in high handling costs, a low production rate and severe cargo losses. To effect savings and improve the quality of loading and unloading op- erations, the Government has given high priority to port development projects •  - 2 - " • \ \ \' in its Five-Year Plan (1963-67). A deep-water port at Chisimaio is now being constructed with assistance fran th@ United States 0 The Government has can- pleted plans to improve facilities at Berbera with assistance from the Soviet Union. The Government of Somalia and the Bank have agreed that detailed hydraulic studies should be undertaken before substantial improvement of port Mogadiscio can be carried out_, The study will include c olleiction of detailed hydraulic data and the conduct of moo.el tests in connection with penetration of waves, stability o£ the breakwater and the possibility of siltation of the harbor and approach. Reporting will be in two stagesl\ First~ the consultants will sub- mit a report evaluating the merits of the sites proposed. In the second stage they will present preliminary designs for the recommended site together with an estimate of the total cost of the project~ The studies will take about two • years • •