USAID Extends SSA Marine's Port of Umm Qasr Management Contract

SEATTLE -- At the request of the Coalition Provision Authority (CPA), USAID has extended SSA Marine's existing contract for the management of the port of Umm Qasr, Iraq until June 30, 2004. The original contract was due to expire on March 22, 2004. No additional government funds will be required due to available funds from the original contract.

SSA Marine has been managing the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr since the transfer of control from the British Military on May 23, 2003, and was awarded the contract after a competitive international bidding process. Cargo handling operations include humanitarian aid, reconstruction and commercial cargo. SSA Marine also supervised the current regularly scheduled ferry service between Iraq and Dubai.

Since last year a group of twelve SSA Marine operations experts have managed the daily operations and security at the facility, and over 300 vessels, 1.2 million metric tons of cargo and more than 8000 ferry passengers have called the port.

Bob Watters, vice president, SSA Marine, who is overseeing the project acknowledged, "The past year has been quite rewarding in helping facilitate the movement of humanitarian and reconstruction cargo to the people of Iraq. USAID and CPA have provided great leadership in the effort to rebuild the country's infrastructure. This contract extension is testament to the value we are adding to that effort. The success of this operation is a credit to our excellent team at Umm Qasr, the Iraqi workforce employed by the Iraq Port Authority (IPA), USAID, CPA and the other government entities working to make this project a success."

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