In the last quarter of the 19^th century a major problem at Aden was the depth of water in the Inner Harbour and the silting up of channels to it. As steamships increased in size, the problem would become more and more acute. Added to which the number of steamers wanting to call at Aden would nearly double in the 13 years from 1875 to 1888. The problem can best be illustrated by the following comparison: in 1875-76 the 551 steamers that entered the inner harbour were 61.7% of the total; but by 1888-89 the 456 steamers that were allowed to enter amounted to only 27.6% of those calling at Aden. The nadir was reached in 1890-91 when only 259 could enter, leaving 80.4% of merchant ships having to anchor outside.

To reverse this trend in 1891 there was begun a long-term dredging of the channels into the harbour using a self-propelled hopper ladder dredger called the ‘Mermaid’. In the first year over 400,000 tons of spoil was removed, making a dredged channel 20 ft deep and 3350 ft long and 440 ft wide. Dredging would continue at more or less this rate, the annual average to 1905-06 being about 400,150 tons.

The results of this labour were soon apparent: in 1891-92 steamships entering were 399 and by 1896-97 this total had increased again to 457, which was nearly 40% of the ships calling. The favourable trend continued apace, to the extent that by 1903-04 as many as 909 steamers, over two thirds of the total, could enter the inner harbour. By 1914-15 less than 15% were having to remain outside.

Due to the increasing draught of ships being built, in November 1908 it was decided to increase the depth of the dredged channel to 30 ft at low water. To speed up the work an extra contract was entered into which resulted in this work being completed within two years. Once dredged the channel did not silt up again at any appreciable rate, but in 1928 it was judged necessary to increase the depth to 32.5 ft at low water, the work being completed in 1930.

In the mid-1930s four deep water berths were also dredged, to give a depth of 35 ft at low tide. This extra depth of water was not required just for liners but also to be able to put large warships, in particular aircraft-carriers, inside the comparative safety of the inner harbour in time of war. By 1936 Aden had four oil berths, connected to the tanks ashore by a submarine pipeline, two of which were two of the four deep water berths.

Nowadays the dredged channel has a depth of 15 metres and the deep water berths have been combined and enlarged to provide a turning basin in the inner harbour for large vessels. To get an up-to-date plan of the harbour log onto www.portofaden.com. You will see that the Aden Container Terminal is being built to multiply the facilities of the Maalla Multi-purpose Terminal.