SSA Marine outlines progress at Umm Qasr

SSA Marine outlines progress at Umm Qasr

   SSA Marine released a six-month progress report on its work to jumpstart Iraq’s Umm Qasr seaport.

   SSA Marine was awarded a $4.8 million, one-year contact by the U.S. Agency for International Development in March 2003.

   The Seattle-based company began managing the movement of humanitarian cargo in Umm Qasr on May 23, followed by the movement of commercial and reconstruction cargo starting on June 16.

   Of the $4.8 million contract, SSA Marine has received $990,000. The profit on the contract is $438,000. The after-tax profit amount is only about $280,000. “We collect revenues from port tariffs on behalf of the port — none goes to SSA Marine,” the company said.

   To date, more than 130 vessels have arrived at Umm Qasr with more than 500,000 metric tons of cargo. Types of cargo handled at the port are rice, wheat, flour, vegetable oil, sugar, cement, and roll-on/roll-off and container cargoes.

   “There has been an ample supply of trucks available to move cargo since operations commenced,” SSA Marine said. “Vessel agents are coordinating delivery from the cargo ship to the truck, ensuring that the proper cargo is delivered to the correct trucker.”

   SSA Marine works with a number of entities in Umm Qasr, including the Iraqi Port Authority, Coalition Provisional Authority, USAID, British military and other private contractors.

   “Our team has been operating to date without potable water and with only minimal generator sourced electricity,” SSA Marine said.