Port Overview

The Sfax-Sidi Youssef port complex is a new multipurpose port located in Kerkennah (governorate of Sfax) which will enter into service during the summer of 2020. Its main traffic consists of solid bulk (phosphate and by-products, sea salt, cereals, etc). The port will create sources of income for thousands of inhabitants of the island who depend mainly on fishing. The extension project of the Port of Sidi Youssef, which started in January 2017 with a budget of around 32 million dinars, will preserve the environmental aspect and improve the services of passenger transport going from and to the island of Kerkennah on board from the ferry connecting it to Sfax.

Sidi Youssef is a Tunisian village and the port of access to the Kerkennah Islands. It is located at the western end of the island of Gharbi, the closest to the continental port of Sfax 18 km away. Sidi Youssef was not always the terminus of this car ferry line since the connections between the Kerkennah and Sfax were previously carried out between Cape Sidi Mansour, located seven kilometers north of Sfax (delegation of Sakiet Eddaïer), and Sidi Fredj (island of Chergui) which today corresponds to the main tourist area of the archipelago. It is a passenger port accommodating up to twelve daily services in summer from the SOMVIK car ferry (Kerkennah Islands Development Company). It is equipped with infrastructure such as a ferry terminal, a bus station for buses and collective taxis (several dozen) that provide collective ground transportation.

But Sfax- Sidi Youssef also shelters a fishing port where sail boats are practicing artisanal fishing. Some services have been set up such as an ice-trade for the conservation of fresh fish, fish merchants as well as catering businesses such as a restaurant operating during the tourist season.

Key port information may also be found at:http://www.maritime-database.com

Port Picture

Port Sfax-Sidi Youssef 

Description and Contacts of Key Companies

The Office of the Merchant Marine and Ports (OMMP) is the main agency responsible of the all administrative and financial activities and coordination. The maritime companies operating in ports sector play an important role in the development and promotion of Tunisia's foreign trade. In fact, 98% of the foreign trade is carried out by sea through the 7 commercial seaports. These ports handled in 2019 around 33 million tones, 985 passenger miles and 420 passenger cars. The maritime transport and ports sector include almost 560 companies working in the maritime professions, freight forwarders and port professions and offering almost 6000 direct jobs.

Port Performance

The port of Sfax is the second largest port in Tunisia with more than 90,000 TEUs and nearly 784,500 tons of general cargo in 2018. The port of Sfax cannot receive ro-ro ships or trans-Mediterranean carriers. Most of the solid part in the north-eastern part of the port was transferred to Skhira port, thus large spaces were freed which made it possible to receive ro-ro ships.

In Dec 2020, the Ministry of Transport launched a call for expression of interest to set up a logistics platform in connection with the port of Sfax on a 50-hectar plot of land . This land, located 17 km southwest of the port of Sfax, is well connected to the road and rail networks, including a new highway (south of Sfax) which facilitates the connection to Tunis and the port of Radès by highway.

The total volume of OMMP traffic amounted to 22.7 million tons in 2015. Given Sfax port and Skhira oil terminal, the total volume of traffic would be around 28.1 million tons in 2018, against 29 million global traffic volumes in 2019. The distribution of traffic by port and type of merchandise is summarized in the table below:

Contribution (%) of each port in the domestic traffic (with Skhira):

• Goulette 2.7% 746 018
• Skhira 19,3% 5 458 989
• Zarzis 2.6% 736 808
• Gabes 7.8% 2 200 803
• Sfax 15.5% 4 367 465
• Rades 23.7% 6 668 415
• Bizerte 19.9% 5 603 343
• Sousse 8,5% 2 402 182 

The port of Sfax is a major asset for the Tunisian and regional economy. Its commercial port is one of the oldest in the country and the second in Tunisia. It was created around 1905. The quantity of products exported in 2018 is evaluated at 3,492,134 tons while imports are evaluated at 3,282,645 tons. These exported products come mainly from the center and the south of the country: sea salt, olive oil, processed phosphates and various other products.

Berthing Specifications

The berths consist of 15 berths distributed as follows:

• NPK platform (substation n ° 1) of total length equal to 150 m with a depth of - 10.50 m Hydro.
• Soufrier quay (substation n ° 2) of total length equal to 220 m with a depth of - 10.50 m Hydro
• Quai M’dhila (post 3) with a total length of 243 m with a depth of - 10.5 m Hydro.
• Phosphate platform (item 4.5 and 6) 584 ml long with a depth of -10.50 m
• Trade quay (post no. 7.8 and 9) 520 ml long with a depth of -10.50 m
• Service platform (post 10) 60 ml long with a depth of -10.50 m
• RORO platform (post 11) 150 ml long with a depth of -10.50 m
• Trade quay (posts 12, 13 and 14) 517 ml long with a depth of -10.50 m
• Saltworks quay (post n ° 15) 110 ml long with a depth of -10.50 m
• Oil jetty of length 150 ml with a depth of -10.50 m
• The commercial port of Sfax offers a quay line with a total length of 2704 m.

General Cargo Handling Berths

Port Handling Equipment:

Container Facilities

Customs Guidance

Customs clearance consists of presenting the goods at a Customs office and allocating them a Customs system. On reaching Customs, goods are automatically sorted by the SINDA (Automated Customs Information System) according to certain criteria, especially the nature of the product and the importer. The sorting leads to a system of channels: the "green channel" for goods which present no risk (brief inspection of the documents), the "orange channel" for medium level risks (normal inspection), the "red channel" for extreme risks (complete inspection). The inspection may consist of x-raying the whole container, but also x-raying or opening each package. When they have been inspected, the goods receive a temporary collection permit which allows them to be stocked for further inspection or a permit for clearance inward.

Terminal Information

Multipurpose Terminal

It is uncovered platforms of 24 Ha of which 16.5 Ha in the extension area. Uncovered platforms for storage: 9.5 Ha.

The main platform is of the characteristics:

• Transit via the logistics area: 3,800,000 tonnes of goods (in 2025)
• Area of the logistics area: 30 hectares
• Administrative area, operators and services: 1.2 hectares
• Land and administrative land building customs: 0.1 ha (floor area: 560 m2)
• Land and operator building: 0.7 ha (ground floor: 3000 m2)
• Car workshops and car parks: 1.3 ha (2700 m2)

The Access Channel

• Length 6,15 Km
• depth 10.50 meters = 34’44”

Ships acceptable in Sfax port

• Maximum Length 205m
• Maximum depth for all ships 10.06 m = 33

Infrastructures

Basins

• A main basin with an area of ​​42 ha.
• A basin (NPK) with an area of ​​15.5 ha.
• 1 basin (of sailboats) with an area of ​​4.5 ha (easement).
• Circle of departure: 300 m in diameter.

Support material

Grain and Bulk Handling

There is no specific grain and bulk handling at sfax port – but there is a primary objective of the proposed project which is to expand grain storage and handling throughput capacity, improve the related domestic transport system and largely complete the conversion from bag to bulk handling in Tunisia's distribution system for imported grain to meet the rapidly rising demand for industrially milled grain. The project consists of:

• rehabilitation, adaptation for imports, and expansion of the existing port silo at sfax, and construction of three storage silos at Sfax, Beja, and Gafsa, and expansion from 8,000 tons to 28,000 tons of the storage silo at Kalaa Seghira;
• rehabilitation of the Manouba storage silo;
• construction and rehabilitation of silo rail sidings; (d) acquisition of about 50 bulk rail hopper cars; and (e) technical assistance and training.

Superstructure of Sfax port from 2000 – 2020

Old commercial port

New multipurpose dock

Main Storage Terminal 

Stevedoring

The mobile crane Liebherr LHM 550 has been installed at the Sfax port by the Society of the handling groups of Sfax (GMS) to reinforce the stevedoring works.

Hinterland Information

The port is close to the town centre: One entry, close to the port direction, allows the access to the commercial dock (north).

• A 2nd entry gives access to the northern zone of the port.
• A 3rd entry gives access to the southern zone.

Port Security

The bodies of water in the port of Sfax are naturally sheltered by the shallows surrounding the port and by the banks located between the Kerkennah Islands and the coast. North shore with road and rail connections. South shore with road access only.

At all ports in Tunisia including Sfax, the security aspects are the standard credibility and reliability of a port system. Through the application of the ISPS code which required the implementation by all maritime and port players of security measures aimed at preventing any malicious acts against the transport chain, commercial vessels which provide more than 95% of trade, people and ports. From the harbor, a VTS to the busiest port even Sfax takes charge of the ship; it will not leave it again until its docking. The harbor master's office controls all maneuvers carried out on the route to be followed to enter or leave the basins as well as any movement within the port. Radio contact is maintained between the harbor master's office and the vessel at all times 24 hours a day. Specific safety measures are taken for each loading or unloading operation of petroleum products (crude and refined), chemicals and hazardous materials and products. Port operators and officers of each port can thus identify the goods and the nature of the risk that may arise, as well as the measures to be taken to avoid or combat it.