Key facts
- Algeria is accelerating its Annaba phosphate port expansion project.
- The project aims for completion by the first quarter of 2027.
- A deepwater quay capable of handling 80,000t ships is being built.
- The expansion is part of the Integrated Phosphate Project (IPP), a joint venture between Sonatrach and Sonarem.
- The IPP includes phosphate deposit development and a phosphoric acid, sulphuric acid, and ammonia facility.
- The Souk Ahras facility will produce 900,000 t/yr of P2O5.
- Somiphos plans a 1mn t/yr expansion at its Djebel Onk mine by mid-2027.
- Somiphos has an agreement to supply phosphate rock to Indonesia.
Algeria is intensifying efforts to complete the expansion of its Annaba phosphate port, with additional workers and equipment being deployed this month and next. The project is now slated for completion by the first quarter of 2027, according to the country's works and infrastructure ministry.
The ministry stated that the workforce at the Annaba port expansion will be doubled and reinforced with more machinery to expedite progress and ensure timely delivery. The core of the expansion involves constructing a deepwater quay designed to accommodate ships with a capacity of up to 80,000 tons, aiming to enhance the logistical capabilities for Algeria's phosphate rock and fertilizer exports.
This port development is a key component of Algeria's Integrated Phosphate Project (IPP). The IPP is a collaborative initiative between the state-owned energy company Sonatrach and the state-owned mining firm Sonarem. It encompasses the development of phosphate deposits in Bled El Hadba and the establishment of facilities for phosphoric acid, sulphuric acid, and ammonia production in Oued Keberit, located in Souk Ahras province. The government announced last month that the IPP is expected to commence production in the first quarter of 2027, aligning with the port expansion's readiness for initial phosphate shipments.
Argus analysts estimate that the Souk Ahras phosphoric acid production facility will have an annual capacity of 900,000 tons of P2O5, requiring approximately 3 million tons of phosphate rock annually. The Bled El Hadba mine, which is already operational and accumulating stock, will serve as the supplier for the Souk Ahras facilities. Furthermore, Somiphos, a subsidiary of Sonarem and an Algerian phosphate rock producer, anticipates completing a 1 million ton per year expansion at its Djebel Onk mine by mid-2027. Currently, its phosphate rock capacity stands at around 1.5 million tons per year. Following this expansion, Somiphos is expected to supply phosphate rock to Indonesia, based on a January agreement for up to 1 million tons annually with the state-owned fertilizer group Pupuk Indonesia.