US embassy cable - 04DJIBOUTI1227

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DJIBOUTI 001227 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF, AF/E AND AF/EPS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, ECON, MARR, ASEC, DJ 
SUBJECT: DJIBOUTI AIRPORT MANAGER ON EXPANSION AND U.S. 
MILITARY USE OF DJIBOUTI PORT FACILITIES 
 
REF: DJIBOUTI 856 AND PREVIOUS 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR MARGUERITA D. RAGSDALE. REASONS 1.4 (B) AND ( 
D). 
 
1. (C) Summary:  David Hawker, Dubai Ports International 
representative in Djibouti who manages Djibouti International 
Airport, confirmed to Ambassador the Government of Djibouti's 
interest in expanding the country's existing international 
airport at Ambouli.  Nothing firm is on the table, but issues 
of space will loom large in accommodating a second runway and 
in revamping or rebuilding the existing terminal.  Hawker 
sees U.S. use of the airport as incurring some additional 
cost for the airport.  At least USD 1.2 million will be 
required to purchase new fire engines to meet ICAO 
regulations as a result of the airport's accommodation of the 
U.S. C-5 "Galaxy" aircraft, according to Hawker. On the new 
seaport under construction at Doraleh, Hawker said 
clarification is needed from the U.S. Navy about the type and 
size of vessels it wishes to moor at the new port.  For now, 
Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC), under its subsidiary 
Horizon, is not interested in accommodating the Navy's 
largest vessels, due to structural capacity limits of the 
Phase One oil terminal jetty.  Hawker also used the occasion 
of the Ambassador's call to again note that outstanding U.S. 
military aircraft parking fees ostensibly accrued to Camp 
Lemonier remain unsettled.  End Summary. 
 
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The Future of the International Airport 
--------------------------------------- 
 
2. (C) Ambassador asked Hawker where discussions were on the 
possibility of a new international airport, or expanded 
facility, for Djibouti.  Hawker said the Government of 
Djibouti wants to expand the current airport, but different 
elements that would be involved in planning -- potential 
private investors such as Djiboutian national Abdurrahman 
Boreh,  Defense which works with the U.S. and French military 
presence at the airport, the Foreign Ministry, and the 
Presidency --- are not coordinating with each other.  If 
there were coordination, Hawker opined, the current space 
allotted to the U.S. and France for military use would not 
have been provided. To build a new airport from scratch is an 
entirely different matter, he said.  "It's dreadfully 
expensive."  Hawker continued that Dubai International has 
"great interest" in renovating or rebuilding the existing 
terminal at the airport and possibly constructing a second 
runway.   There were discussions already about expanding the 
terminal by 10 meters or so, he said, but was nixed as too 
costly for the space gained. It would be better to build a 
new terminal building.  That, with a second runway, would of 
course require more space than the airport currently has. The 
U.S. company Black and Veatch is looking at possibilities, 
but Hawker did not speculate on preliminary findings the 
company may have made. 
 
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U.S. Naval Intent at Doraleh 
----------------------------- 
 
3. (C) In a discussion of progress, from site manager ENOC's 
perspective, in construction of the new Doraleh Phase One oil 
terminal facility, Hawker told Ambassador that it will be 
important to get clarification from the U.S. Navy about what 
would be the largest oil supply vessels it expected to bring 
into Doraleh to pick up and deliver fuel to its vessels 
offshore. Speaking frankly, he continued, he understood there 
was interest on the U.S. Embassy's side in possible carrier 
visits to port.  Hawker said his company is not particularly 
interested in servicing large vessels at its Phase I oil 
terminal container facility. He explained that the jetty at 
the new terminal could support a maximum of 80,000 dwt. A 
tanker, for example, is mostly underwater, creating less 
"windage", than an aircraft carrier, which is mostly above 
water and has extensions.  The jetty could not withstand the 
pressure of such a vessel unless piles were designed and 
manufactured differently.  However, once Phase II of port 
construction begins, which will include a container terminal, 
Hawker said, it would not be so difficult for a large carrier 
to come to shore.  However, he said he did not expect the 
container terminal to be operational until at least 2008. 
 
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The C-5 Increases Airport Expenses 
---------------------------------- 
 
4. (C) In a follow-on discussion of his office's interactions 
with Camp Lemonier, Hawker said the U.S. military's use of 
the airport's aircraft parking ramps necessitated some 
"precision" in guidelines as to what would trigger a parking 
charge to the U.S. military.  He said he would raise this 
soon with the Camp as there was a difference of perspective, 
for example, on what constituted "overnight" parking for U.S. 
aircraft.  It was important to collect these fees, Hawker 
continued, because of the added expense accruing to the 
airport of U.S. operation of C-5 aircraft in and out of 
Djibouti.  Hawker explained that under present ICAO 
guidelines, Djibouti qualifies for "Category 7" firefighting 
equipment.  Categories are defined in terms of the length and 
fuselage width of the aircraft operating out of the airport. 
These categories dictate the water capacity the engine is 
obliged to transport, among other requirements.  The entry 
and exit of U.S. C-5s (what Hawker termed "Galaxy" aircraft), 
increases that requirement to "Category 9."  Thus new engines 
are needed.  He estimated the cost at USD 600,000 each for 
the two that Ambouli airport would require.  Hawker did not 
explicitly state that he wanted the U.S. to help foot the 
bill for the new engines.  However, he reiterated that the 
long-standing issue of sizable outstanding parking arrears 
attributed to Camp Lemonier has still not been resolved. 
 
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Comment 
------- 
 
5. (C) Hawker, a UK national with links to the UAE and 
Djibouti, and with his vantage point grounded in the airport, 
is in a position to keep a firm finger on the commercial 
pulse of Djibouti.  He is generally well-informed and has not 
been reluctant to share his insight with the Embassy.  He 
continues to work the airport's specific issues of concern on 
the U.S. military side directly with Camp Lemonier, as 
Ambassador encourages.  End comment. 
RAGSDALE