DP World will hold a 51 percent stake in the project, Somaliland 30 percent and Ethiopia the remaining 19 percent.
The government of Ethiopia will also invest in infrastructure to develop the Berbera Corridor as a trade gateway for the inland country, which is one of the fastest growing countries in the world.
The first cranes are scheduled to arrive later this year, a statement said.
DP World Group chairman and CEO, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, said: “I am so excited about the prospects of working with the Ethiopian government. Ethiopia is home to approximately 110 million people. The ports of Berbera and Doraleh will provide significant capacity to the region. Both these ports and more capacity will be needed to serve the region’s growth potential in the future.
“Having the Government of Ethiopia as a partner will enable DP World to support the Government in achieving its impressive development plans. This development and the strengthening of our partnership demonstrates our commitment to the people of Somaliland and Ethiopia and we look forward to working together.”
He added: ”The economies of the region are growing at a pace that needs the development of Berbera supplementing Djibouti and additional gateways in the future.”
Ethiopian Transport Minister Ahmed Shide said: “The agreement will help Ethiopia secure an additional logistical gateway for its ever increasing import and export trade driven by its growing population and economy.
“Ethiopia will continue to further invest in and develop the Djibouti corridor and further consolidate the use of existing ports in Djibouti. It will also look for other opportunities to develop additional ports and logistics corridors in the region.”
