USAID extends SSA Marine’s Umm Qasr contract

USAID extends SSA MarineÆs Umm Qasr contract    The U.S. Agency for International Development has extended SSA Marine’s management contract for the port of Umm Qasr, Iraq to June 30.
   The contract with the Seattle, Wash.-based port operator was due to expire March 22, but was extended at the request of the Coalition Provision Authority, SSA Marine said.
   No additional government funds will be required due to available funds from the original contract.
   SSA Marine has been managing the port of Umm Qasr since the transfer of control from the British military May 23, 2003, and was awarded the contract after a competitive international bidding process. Cargo handling operations include humanitarian aid, reconstruction and commercial cargo, the port management company said. SSA Marine said it also supervised the regularly scheduled ferry service between Iraq and Dubai.
   Since last year, 12 SSA Marine operations employees have managed the daily operations and security at the facility, including more than 300 vessels, 1.2 million metric tons of cargo and more than 8,000 ferry passengers, the company said.