DEME finalizes the largest dredging job in its history – Abu Qir Port Project

DEME is finalizing the largest dredging and land reclamation project in the company’s history – the Abu Qir Port Project in Egypt.

Omar Elattar, Hydrographic Surveyor
photo by Omar Elattar, Hydrographic Surveyor

This vast program includes the reclamation of 1,000 hectares of new land, the deepening of the port’s approach channel to 23m and the dredging of a turning basin to 22m. An enormous volume of more than 150 million m³ will be dredged.

The marine works, including 6,800 m of quay walls for new berths, 8,800 m of breakwaters and soil improvement works, will be executed by DEME’s consortium partner GIECO, Egypt’s leading marine engineering company. 

photo by Ahmed Abd El Hameed, DEME Project Engineer

This ambitious megaproject creates land for the expansion and further development of Abu Qir, which boasts an ancient history and is slated to become a bustling economic hub, supplementing nearby Alexandria.

Alongside this, a large multifunctional port facility will be developed adjacent to the Abu Qir Container Terminal, which is currently under construction. 

The project is due for completion in 2023.

According to Malik Boukebbous, DEME Group Area Manager for Egypt and Libya, the company will start Green Hydrogen works in the following weeks, as part of the Belgian consortium with Port of Antwerp-Bruges and Fluxys.