Port of Haifa – 2004 a record breaking year

Port of Haifa container terminal managed, during the first ten months of 2004, to break the 2003 container movement record. The 2003 record was set at TEU 1,022,000. The port management expects total container movement in 2004 to be TEU 1,035,000.
 
In a press release the port spokesman pointed out that the new record was achieved despite unfavorable conditions i.e. the longest port workers strike in the history of the state and the decline of Haifa as a hub port for Zim Line.
 
Mr. Mendy Zaltsman director general of the port said that the 21% decline in transshipment containers was set against a jump in Israeli inbound and outbound containers moving through Haifa. He said that the newly published figures put the port of Haifa in a better position to finance future development plans.
 
The financial figures for the first 10 months of 2004 pointed towards a sharp increase – 14% - of income compared to the previous year, NIS796.9 M in 2003 compared to NIS 905.6M in 2004.
 
The figures also indicated 4% cut in expenses from NIS 674.3 M in 2003 to NIS 644.4 M in 2004 . In the first 10 months of 2004 the port achieved a 113% increase in operating profit NIS 261.2 M, compared to NIS 122.7M in same period in the previous year.