Basra Gateway Terminal (BGT), International Container Terminal Services, Inc.’s (ICTSI) subsidiary at the Port of Umm Qasr in Iraq, has handled four million TEUs after nine years of operation in the country’s busiest port, the port operator diclosed Tuesday, May 23.

BGT was the only terminal in Iraq to have handled four million TEUs.

The terminal achieved its record volume during the recent unloading operation on the Yang Ming vessel YM Mutuality.

“We are proud to be the leading player in the Umm Qasr port, and will continue to invest in our people, services and port infrastructure as part of our commitment to the development of Iraq’s port industry,” according to Romeo Salvador, BGT chief executive officer.

Alreasy, ICTSI has invested more than USD300 million to modernize and expand the multipurpose terminal.

The investment covers the construction of three new berths, rehabilitation of three existing berths, acquisition of new port equipment including post-Panamax ship-to-shore cranes – the largest port equipment in Iraq, and rollout of state-of-the-art systems – all of which has helped BGT consolidate its market leader position.

Currently, BGT is the terminal in the Port of Umm Qasr capable of efficiently handling 14,000-TEU container vessels, a value proposition that has helped attract new liner services.

In 2014, ICTSI signed a contract with the General Company for Ports in Iraq to manage, operate and rehabilitate terminal facilities in North Port Umm Qasr, Iraq and to develop and expand container handling capacity via new infrastructure development.