YOAV ZUCKERMAN
With two decades of track record in the Israeli public administration, national infrastructure and
port development sectors, Yoav Zuckerman is a leading consultant in these fields. In 2014 Yoav Zuckerman founded his company specializing in business development, project management and consulting, concentrating on the national infrastructure and port development sectors.
Zuckerman served as a professional Advisor for two Ministers of Transport at the Israeli government and had an instrumental role in the structural reform of Israel's sea ports. The current construction of two new container terminals, scheduled to start operating in 2021, is the result of integrated work led by Zuckerman, who was trusted to execute the 2007 Government resolution to develop these ports.
From 2008 to 2014 Mr. Zuckerman served as Vice President and Chief Development Officer of Israel Ports Company (IPC). Mr. Zuckerman led the “Future Ports” Mega Project and was responsible for realizing the vision of the new container terminals in Israel: Bay port in Haifa and South port in Ashdod, amounting to more than 15 billion NIS.
Mr. Zuckerman is the author of the book “Israel’s Sea Ports - from monopoly to competition” (Matar publishing house, 2018). He is also the editor and professional advisor to the Hebrew edition of the book "Leadership on the Line" on adaptive leadership by Prof. Ronald Heifetz & Marty Lindsky (Harvard University). He is a prominent lecturer in these fields.
Mr. Zuckerman holds a Master of Public Administration degree (MPA) from Harvard University, Cambridge, USA (as a Wexner-Israel fellow), and a Law degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He has been a certified lawyer since 1998.
Since 2005 Mr. Zuckerman has been actively contributing to the urban development momentum of the city of Tel Aviv. He was appointed by the Mayor of Tel Aviv to serve as Chairman of Tel Aviv Cinematheque and Chairman of the Ayalon Highway cooperation, as well as a member of the executive board of directors at the Cameri theater and at Tel Aviv Foundation.
ISRAEL PORTS OVERVIEW
Almost 99% of Israel's international commerce moves via its seaports. Its container traffic has been doubled every ten years, and is expected to continue so.
More than a third of the global trade passes through the expanded Suez Canal, just next to the Israeli ports.
Today, Israel’s ports are operated by two governmental companies: “Haifa Port” and “Ashdod Port” as well as two private companies that operate smaller port terminals, “Eilat Port” at the southern gate of Israel and “Israel Shipyards port “in Haifa.
As of 2021, two new container terminals, will be operated by global operators, as described hereafter.
The Land-Lord of all the ports in Israel is a governmental company, in charge for port asset management, maintenance and development (Israel Ports Development and Assets Company – IPC). The Ministry of Transportation’s Administration of Shipping and Ports has the regulatory governmental powers, to oversee and regulate the market.
Activity at the ports is divided into three main sectors:
The containers sector generates about 67 percent of revenue of the two main ports (Haifa and Ashdod). Its share of the ports’ revenue has for years been in an upward trend, since there is a tendency to move from shipping via conventional ships to shipping via container ships. In view of this increase, the capabilities of Israel’s ports to receive container ships has been increased in recent years, and assuming that the ports operate according to accepted standards, their current capacity will enable the handling of 3.2-3.4 million TEU per year (twenty-foot equivalent unit, the standard unit for containers).
Since demand is expected to increase, the government decided in 2007 to construct two new container terminals (Haifa Bay Port terminal and South Port terminal in Ashdod) and to operate each one through international operators, completely separated from the existing governmental port companies.
THE NEW CONTAINER TERMINALS
In June 2014 IPC announced the winner of the international tender for the construction of the South Port – PMEC Company of China Harbor Company (a NIS 3.3 billion contract).
In October 2014 IPC announced the winner of the international tender for the construction of the Haifa Bay Port – a joint company of Ashtrom and Shafir (a NIS 3.98 billion contract).
In May 2015 IPC announced the winner of the international tender for the operator of the future South Port of Ashdod – Dutch TIL Company (part of MSC Group); and the winner of the international tender for the operator of the future Haifa Bay Port – SIPG Company of China (operator of the Port of Shanghai).
HAIFA PORT
Haifa Port has a natural deep-water harbor which operates all year long. It is a multipurpose terminal, operating as a major container terminal for Israel's export and import, as well as passenger and general cargo vessels. It is one of the largest ports in the eastern Mediterranean in terms of freight volume.
The port is located in a natural, protected bay and includes many facilities that allow for the shipping and transportation of all types of cargo as well as docking facilities for large passenger liners.
The port is operated by the Haifa Port Company, a Government owned company. The governmental policy is to privatize this company in the near future.
The port was officially opened in October 1933.
Haifa Port Company's website
ASHDOD PORT
Ashdod Port is one of Israel's two main cargo ports. It is strategically located, about 40 km. south of Tel Aviv, the business center of Israel, and close to the country’s major commercial centers and highways. It is a multipurpose terminal, operating as a major container terminal for Israel's export and import, as well as passenger and general cargo vessels.
The port was officially opened in November 1963. The Port of Ashdod remains one of the few deep-water ports in the world to be built in the open sea.
The Port has a central automatic gateway for trucks, which utilizes use of biometrics and other systems for identifying drivers, trucks and containers. It includes: 32 lanes each with weighing machinery for trucks; camera tracking of trucks; Internet applications that enables on-line response to drivers’ questions and SMS updates.
Ashdod Port Company's website
EILAT PORT
The Port of Eilat is the only Israeli port on the Red Sea, located at the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba-Eilat, the southern end of Israel. The Port of Eilat opened in 1947 and is today mainly used for trading with Asian countries, mainly import of cars and export of potash from the Dead Sea. It allows vessels to reach the Indian Ocean without having to sail through the Suez Canals.
Ship traffic at Eilat is relatively low (compared to Israel's two large seaports on the Mediterranean). One reason is that Eilat is situated at a considerable distance from the center of the country. Another is the fact that unlike the country's other main seaports, Eilat's is yet to be served by a railway line (the nearest railhead is located about 150 kilometers to the north).
Eeilat Port Company's website
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