El Haddab Phosphate Exports to Start by March 2027
The integrated phosphate project in Algeria has entered a new implementation phase, with the commencement of enriched phosphate exports from the El Haddab site anticipated by March 2027. This development follows the signing of two engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contracts by Sonatrach and the Algerian Fertilizer Company with Italy's Saipem and China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC). These agreements mark a key step in Algeria's strategy to enhance its mining resources, industrialize, and diversify the national economy.
The initial phase of the project encompasses several major components, including the establishment of a phosphate extraction and enrichment complex in Bled El Hadba, Tébessa province, with an annual capacity of 5.5 million tons. An integrated industrial complex is also planned for Oued El Kebrit, Souk Ahras province, dedicated to producing phosphate and nitrogen fertilizers, alongside new port facilities in Annaba province. Production of enriched phosphate is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2027, with fertilizer production expected to follow in the last quarter of the same year. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is directly overseeing the project, having directed that exports from Bled El Hadba commence by March 2027 and stressing the concurrent completion of the mining dock at Annaba port and the immediate construction of processing units.
This initiative is projected to significantly increase Algeria's annual production capacity to approximately 6 million tons of enriched phosphate and 4 million tons of various fertilizers, including DAP, MAP, NPK, and urea. It will also contribute to the production of strategic industrial materials such as sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, and ammonia. The project is anticipated to generate around 12,000 direct jobs, primarily across the Tébessa, Souk Ahras, Skikda, and Annaba provinces. Benefiting from supporting infrastructure like the 422-kilometer eastern mining railway connecting Bled El Hadba to Annaba port, the project also involves the expansion of Annaba port to include a dedicated mining dock for exports, capable of accommodating large vessels. This integrated approach, from raw material extraction to high value-added industrial products, is set to bolster non-hydrocarbon exports and enhance Algeria's competitiveness in international markets, particularly as global demand for fertilizers grows due to food security and agricultural expansion needs.
