If ports are considered important to all countries, they are considered more vital for the State of Kuwait and its people who have been bound to the sea over the long years. The Kuwaiti ports have played a vital role in the country build up since its inception to the present day.

Over the last fourty years , Kuwaiti commercial ports have been developed very progressively from a wooden jetty constructed temporarily at Shuwaikh area in 1953 to three modern ports including modern berths of 11 Kilometers total length.

These berths have been equipped with modern equipment to accomodate new generations of vessels and to handle all types of commodities and containers.

Shuwaikh Port

Shuwaikh Port is considered the main Commercial Port in the Country. It is located at latitude 29° 21' North, Longitude 47° 56' East. it has a total land area of 3.2 million square metres and 1.2 million square metres water basin area.

The Port has 21 berths of which 14 berths with 10 metres depth (Berth No 1 to Berth No 14), four berths with 8.5 metres depth (Berths No 18-21) and three berths with 6.7 metres depths (Berths No 15,16,17). Total length of all berths is 4055 metres.

The vessels traffic to and from the port is passing through a Navigation Channel dredged inside Kuwait Bay. The length of the channel is about 8 Kilometres and its depth is 8.5 metres at minimum water tide level.

The Port can receive vessels of 7.5 metres draft at any tide condition and vessels of 9.5 metres draft at high tide.

Berth No (1) in the port is used to berth Grain Carriers. It is equipped with Cement Suction Elevator of 400 tons/hr capacity which transfers discharged grain through suction pipes from vessels to Grain Silos belonging to Kuwaiti Flour Mills and Bakeries Company.

Berth No 8 is used to berth Bulk Cement Carriers. It is equipped with Cement Suction Elevator of 400 tons/hr capacity to handle bulk cement to Cement Silos belonging to Portland Cement Company. Total capacity of silos is 60000 tons. Bulk cement is bagged in the company cement factory and distributed to customers.

Berth No 12 & 13 are used to berth Container Vessels. They are equipped with two Container Handling Gantry Cranes, capacity of each is 40 tons under the spreader.
Berth No 19 & 20 are used to berth Reefer Vessels. There is a cold store located between these two berths of 11500 tons cooling capacity to receive refrigerated food stuffs. The store belongs to Refrigeration Industries Company.

Berth No 21 is used to berth Livestock Vessels. There is a Cattle Pen near to the berth of 25700 M Sq area.

Other berths are used to handle General Cargo Vessels and are equipped with quay craned of 3 tons and 6 tons capacities.

Depths in the main basin of the ports range from 6.7 metres, 8.5 metres to 10 metres. The East Basin has a depth of 3 metres. The West Basin has a depth of 3.35 metres and the North Basin has a depth of 6.7 metres. Inside the North Basin 10 small piers are located to berth Tugs, Pilot Boats and other Port Service Crafts. Total Piers length is 1190 metres.

Inside the port there are 25 Warehouses of 170323 M Sq total area, covered sheds of 15137 M Sq total area and open storage areas of 485718 M Sq

Shuaiba Port

Shuaiba Port is located 45 Kilometres to the South of Kuwait City. The geographical location is : Latitude 29 °, 2', 26" North and Longitude 48 °, 10', 56" East. The Port is bounded by the Southern Pier of Ahmadi Port from the North Side and by Mina Adbullah from the South side.

Port of Shuaiba has Commercial Berths, Container Berths & Oil Pier which is operated by Kuwait National Petroleum Company.

There are 20 Commercial & Container Berths at Shuaiba Port of 4068 metres total length. Depths of these berths range from 10 to 14 metres. Four of these berths (berth Nos 15, 16, 17, and 18) are used for Container Vessels. The Oil Pier has a water depth of 16 metres.

There are two small Craft & Barge basins at the port. The small Craft Basin has a depth of (4) metres and contain three piers of 100,200,175 metres length. The Barge Basin has a depth of (6) metres and contains four piers of 211, 157, 287, 250 metres length.

The Port is equipped with moving conveyors to convey urea exported by Petrochemical Industries Company from its factory to vessels berthing at Berth Nos 1, 2. There is also another conveyor to convey sulphur exported by Kuwait National Petroleum Company from its loading area to Berth No 6 and another moving conveyor to convey Petroleum Coke to Berth No 14.

The Port contains also several modern workshops for maintenance of marine harbour crafts and other equipment.

General Cargo delivery of Shuaiba Port depends on "Cargo Direct Delivery" concept, therefore outside the port exist supporting areas for cargo operations such as "Loaded Trucks Parking Area" and "Unload Trucks Area".

Doha Port

Doha Port is small Coastal Port with a depth of 4.3 metres. The port is used to berth dhows, barges and coastal vessels operating between Gulf Ports.

The Port is located at a Latitude 29°, 23' North and Longitude 47°, 48' East. Inside the main port basin there are 9 piers of 2600 metres total length.

The Port contains (11) Warehouses of 8110 square metres total area (4) Covered Sheds of 4100 square metres total area and a Cattle Pen of 3250 square metres area.

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