The new Jubilee container port in Ashdod was handed over last week by Israel's Ports and Assests company to the port of Ashdod and started trial operations. In a ceremony held at the port with the participation of Mr. Meir Shitrit, Minister of Transport,the first container ship, Zim Line's Inka Dede,entered the port.
At the opening ceremony, held at the new port, the chairman of Israel port assets company Mr. Dan Tichon said that "the new port is one of the country's biggest infrastructure projects in recent years, with a final cost estimated at some NIS 2.9 billions. The new container terminal is one of the most advanced in the region".
Mrs. Iris Shtark, chair of the recently established Ashdod Port company, said that the new port will be Israel's first fully computerized container port. It will employee the highly advanced TOS (Terminal Operation System) port computer system, which cost over US$6 million and is used to run some 82 container ports around the world.
Mr.Shuki Sagis the port managing director said that the port recently recruted 100 new workers who were being trained. Another 100 workers were expected to be added by the end of 2005, bringing the total number of employees to 1,300. Sagis added that the new computerized port will enable the port to upgrade services to the port users in general and information technology services in particular.
He added that “The opening of the Jubilee Port will strengthen the port of Ashdod as Israel's central economic gateway, and as one of the most advanced ports in the Eastern Mediterranean," the Ashdod Port Company announced on Monday that the company expects to handle 50 percent of Israel’s port traffic in the coming years, surpassing Haifa as Israel’s main port facility.
