28/12/2012
Location
The commercial sea port of Aqaba is the only outlet to the Hashimate Kingdom of Jordan, and is situated at the top of the Gulf of Aqaba .
The Passenger and Container Terminals lie approximately 3 miles to the South of the main port.
The new Oil Exporting Jetty lies approximately 08 miles to the South of the main port.
The Fertilizer Industry Terminal lies approximately 12 miles to the South of the main port.
Port limits
The southern limit of the port is an imaginary line 270' from Al Derrah Point (Saudi Border) ; about 12.5 miles from the main port.
Stevedores
Stevedoring is carried out by the Ports Corporation and their working hours are from 0700-1400 hrs , work must start at 0700 and end at 1400 hrs , therefore there is 1 hour overtime in the morning from 0700-0800 . The second shift's working hours are 1700-0100 next morning and are counted as overtime hours.
Ships with homogenous cargoes of bags or steel may work four shifts per day as follows :
First shift from 0700 to 1100
Second from 1100 to 1600
Third from 1600 to 2200
Fourth from 2200 to 0500 next morning .
During the month of Ramadan the timing is 0700-1300 for the first shifts and 2100-0300 next morning for the second shift , the four shift system is suspended during this month.
Cargo week is continuous throughout the year with the exception of 1 day at Eid-El-Fitr ( the first day of the Holiday ) and 1 day at Eid-El Adha ( the first day of the holiday)
Friday is the official weekly holiday therefore the working hours during this day are treated as overtime hours at an extra cost of JD 37.5 per gang per day.
Ships Working Hours:
Ships can work around the clock depending on the Master's option and the number of ships in port. Opening of ships hatches is allowed up to 2100 hrs If agent arranges for gangs beforehand.
The Port meeting is held daily at 1000 hrs.
Also note that standby gangs will be charged at overtime rate .
Each gang will consist of :-
- One Foeman
- 2 Winchmen
- One Clerk
- 8 Laborers
- 4 Extra labors for bagged cargoes only
Labour Surcharge
The Ports Corp shall levy a surcharge through ship Agent to promote port and labor services at Jd 0.075 per ton weight on cargo discharged or loaded.
Pilotage & Tugs
Tugs:
Compulsory 3 Tugs, 1.300h.p - 1,500h.p. 8 mooring and towing boats 80 h.p - 380 h.p.
Pilotage:
Pilotage is compulsory for all vessels above 150 n.r.t. for berthing, berthing and entering the near(east) anchorage area. Pilotage is obtained from the Harbor Master through Port Control. Ships in harbor requiring a Pilot should call the Pilot via Aqaba Port Control Radio (VHF Channel 16, working Channel 12) 1 hour before ship is ready to move . Advance notice of the ship's requirement of pilot service should be given to the Agent who should advise the Harbor Master or his representative.
It should be noted that vessels may proceed to sea from the anchorage without taking a Pilot , but for ships leaving the berths alongside, pilotage is compulsory . Sound signals are prohibited.
Ships intending to go to anchorage, cargo berths or bulk export berths should wait for Pilot 1 mile to the West of Phosphate Berth.
Ships intending to berth alongside the Floating Berth(Yarmouke) or Container Terminal should wait for Pilot 1 mile to the S.W. of these berths.
Ships intending to berth alongside the Fertilizer Berth or the new Oil Jetty should wait for Pilot 1 mile to the S.W. of these berths.
The vessel has to supply the following information to the Pilot station when requesting a Pilot:
(a) Name of vessel
(b) Nationality
(c) Agent's name
(d) Overall length
(e) Maximum draft
(f) Gross and net tonnages
(g) Cargo for Aqaba
(h) Any special characteristics of vessel
Anchorages
About 0.6 miles from shore in depths of 15-30 fathoms. Ships awaiting discharge can easily anchor in deep water anchorage which can accommodate 11 large vessels.
Anchorages 1-5 are called inner anchorage and are used for ships discharging cargo into barges. The remainder (6-11) are used for ships waiting. The anchorage may take a larger number of ships during congestion periods.
All anchorages lie in the compulsory pilotage areas. When anchored, all ships must keep 6 cables distance from the Royal Jetty.
Berthing
The Main Port Berths: includes 12 berths with a total length of 2.050 m for handling general cargo, grain , phosphate and discharging lighters.
Berthing priority is given to Liner vessels.
Berths Restrictions
BERTH DRAFT ALLOWED (meters) LENGTH OF VESSEL (meters)
NO.1 11.0 200
NO.2 10.0 180
NO.3,4 12.5 180
NO.5 10.5 180
NO.6 10.0 180
NO.7 8.0 150
NO.8,9 5.8 110
OLD PHOSPHATE-A 11.0 -
NEW PHOSPHATE-B 15.0 220
MOU'TA 15.0 150
JOINT BERTH 12.0 250
RO/RO 10.0 180
CONTAINERS 14.0 230
YARMOUKE 10.0 150
WOOD 7.0 120
ORIENT FERTILIZER BERTH 11.0 190
WESTERN FERTILIZER BERTH 15.0 230
Fertilizer Berth No 2 and RO/RO Berth(9m) : RO/RO Vessels should have a ramp with at least 35m. length , and with a minimum distance of 25m from the berth.
Container Berth
Total length of 540 m. and a depth of 15 m. which can receive 3 vessels at a time up to 100,000 d.w.t. each. It is equipped with 2 X 40 ton gantry cranes. Detailes of which are :
SWL under spreader 40. tons
Height above rails 27. meters
Minimum clearance 14.5 meters
Maximum clearance 22.5 meters
Attached to this berth and with a depth of 10 m. is the Ro-Ro Berth with 40 m. length.
Passenger Terminal and Yarmouke Floating Berth:
Length 150 m. and depth 15 m. It specializes in passenger traffic and their vehicles, it also receives Ro/Ro and container ships.
Phosphate Loading Berths
Two berths are available. The first dolphin-type phosphate berth (A), completed in 1959. Two hundred and ten meters long, with a ship loader of capacity of 500 t.p.h, the berth is capable of handling vessels up to 15,000 dwt and 9.1 meter draught.
The second, larger berth (B), completed in 1969, and situated south of berth A, is designed to accommodate the berthing and loading of bulk carriers up to 50,000 dwt. The berth is 180 meters long, 12 meters wide and has a 15.2 meter depth of water at low water spring tide. Two traveling ship loaders are able to load a total of 2,200 tons of phosphate per hour.
All empty vessels entering to Phosphate Berth for loading, must fill vessel's tanks with sufficient quantity of ballast water. Provided that height of vessel's hull is no more than 12 meters from the loading point. The aim of such is to ensure the safety of the facilities of the Ports Corporation and the safety of vessel. In case non compliance with the above, Port will hold the concerned companies and Masters of vessels responsible for any delay in vessel's berthing.
Max. Size
Up to 20,000 d.w.t. Max. draft 32 ft for the cargo berths and 100,000 d.w.t. and 50 ft draft for the phosphate loading berth.
