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The first batch of 300 semi-trailers and dump trucks
the federal government bought from China are
expected to arrive at the Port of Djibouti on
Tuesday, April 15, sources active in the maritime
sector disclosed.
These are part of the 2,100 heavy duty vehicles
imported from China by the Ministry of Works and
Urban Development (MoWUD) in a bid to alleviate the
shortage of haulage vehicles for the nationwide
condominium projects it is currently undertaking.
The Ministry signed an agreement with China Geo
Systems (CGC) Overseas Construction Ethiopia Ltd to
procure 2,000 trucks in January this year. However,
it was Chinese XIAMEN XIA GONG Trading Co. Ltd. that
won the contract to supply loaders and crushers
after the MoWUD floated the tender.
Drivers are expected to be sent to the port next
week, to drive them in.
Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Djibouti, Shemsedin Ahmed
Roble, wants them to serve another purpose in the
meantime. In a letter he wrote to the MoWUD early
last week, he urged authorities here to consider
transporting pile up cargo laying in Djibouti to
Ethiopia.
The Port of Djibouti is already congested. The land
side of the port has been in full strain for the
past few weeks, leading to trucks carrying outbound
cargo staying unloaded for over 10 days. Containers
are kept for an average of 20 days (on sea port
yard) and 45 days (inside the dry port), while
vehicles stay for 28 days.
Nonetheless, whether or not these trucks will be
loaded with goods has not been decided, disclosed a
senior official at MoWUD.
Once they are brought here, each of the 100 dump
trucks and semi-trailers will be distributed to
companies involved in the constructions of 400,000
condominiums across the country. The federal
government has set out to construct 400,000 houses
in Addis Abeba and other regional towns in four
years. Launched in the 2006/2007, these works are
projected to cost 24 billion Br. In the first year,
the construction of 55,000 houses in 33 towns
commenced and this number has risen to 80,000 houses
in 2007/2008.
This year’s housing projects require 1.5 million
tonnes of cement. Another one million tonnes are
heading to the port, which need transportation
trucks. Moreover, 11 million cubic metres of gravel
and sand also needs massive transport trucks for the
housing projects.
The government will sell these trucks and trailers
to groups, offering them a 70pc financing, through
the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE), after winners
come up with 30pc. The Ministry has short listed
from the companies who had applied to acquire the
trucks, and has subsequently selected Tikur Abay,
Yirga Trading, Lem, Shebele, Comet, Bekelcha and
Maritime in dry cargo category.
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