A soft opening has been announced for the new terminal at Saqr Port in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, for what aims to become a three million-TEU container terminal within five years at an estimated cost of US$250 million.

"We are in the final stages of the technical, operational and financial studies for undertaking the Phase Two expansion," said Mohammad Al Mazeedi, chairman and CEO of KGLPI, in a report by the Khaleej Times Online.

Phase one of the terminal will cost $70 million to build and is designed to handle 350,000 TEU. It is being developed and managed by KGL Ports International (KGLPI) through a 21-year concession agreement.

The operator recently celebrated the soft opening of the phase one container terminal which will be officially inaugurated in March. In the meantime, vessels are already beginning to call at the box terminal, with the maiden call being made by the Ibn Battotah, a ship owned and operated by the United Arab Shipping Company.

"Today is a milestone in the history of KGLPI as it is delivering on a promise to design, build, equip and operate one of the most modern ports in the region."

The Mina Saqr container terminal is equipped with three gantry cranes and six RTGs in addition to back up equipment. The box terminal also features an advanced port management IT system, NAVIS, which will be integrated to an Oracle ERP solution.