PORT ACTIVITY; HUSSEIN WITH DIGNITARIES; UNVEILING PLAQUE; NEW INSTALLATION.




Initials DHC/VS/MR/PF



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Background: KING HUSSEIN OF JORDAN THIS WEEK OFFICIALLY UNVEILED EXTENSIVE NEW PORT INSTALLATIONS AT AQABA, ON THE TIP OF THE GULF OF AQABA. THE OPENING CEREMONIES WERE ATTENDED BY JORDANIAN GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS LEADERS AND ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WEST GERMAN GOVERNMENT, WHICH HELPED IN FINANCING THE VENTURE.

THE PORT EXTENSIONS HAVE BEEN MADE TO COPE WITH THE INCREASE OF PHOSPHATE EXPORTS THROUGH AQABA. IN 1965 AN AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED BETWEEN THE JORDANIAN AND WEST GERMAN GOVERNMENTS PROVIDING FOR A LOAN TO BUILD THE NEW 60,000 TONS CAPACITY PHOSPHATE STORE AND EXTENSION OF THE PLANT POWER STATION.

MEANWHILE ANOTHER PROJECT TO BUILD A NEW PHOSPHATE BERTH WHICH COULD HANDLE SHIPS UP TO 100,000 TONS WAS STARTED. A TRAVELLING SHIPLOADER AND ANOTHER 60,000 TONS CAPACITY STORE WERE ALSO BUILT.

DR. ERHARD EPPLER, THE WEST GERMAN MINISTER OF ECONOMIC COOPERATION, WAS PRESENTED WITH A MEDAL BY KING HUSSEIN IN A BRIEF CEREMONY, AND LATER MADE A SPEECH IN WHICH HE LOOKED FORWARD TO FURTHER COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO GOVERNMENTS.

KING HUSSEIN SET THE TRAVELLING PHOSPHATE LOADER IN ACTION AND UNVEILED A PLAQUE COMMEMORATING THE OCCASION.