The envelope will allow the construction of 250 linear meters of additional quay, the development of 7.9 hectares of open space and a Roll-on/Roll-off (RORO) station, not to mention the extension of Automated Tire Gantry (RTG) tracks by 1,200 linear meters.
The Douala Ports Authority and the Douala-Bonabéri Port Exploitation and Construction Company (SCEPDB), a subsidiary of the French maritime works company Negri, entered into a partnership on January 17, 2025, for the construction of quay no. 17 for the benefit of the PAD Contor Terminal.
Financed by a loan of 70 billion FCFA granted by the pool of Cameroonian banks CCA Bank, Bange Bank and Atlantic Bank for the benefit of SCEPDB, this money, according to the terms of the contract, will be used mainly for the construction, for phase 1, of 250 ml of quay and 7.9 hectares of rear embankment, in the second phase, for the construction of the RORO station, and finally, the extension of 1200 ml of RTG tracks.
According to the port authorities, this syndicated loan will be repaid over a period of 8 years, including two years of deferral during the construction phase.
“This other project marks a decisive step in our corporate strategy which consists of renovating, modernizing and radically transforming the entire Douala-Bonabéri Port Facility, so that it remains the main platform for foreign trade operations in Cameroon and the sub-region,” said PAD Director General, Cyrius Ngo’o.
The project of quay n°17, we learned, is part of the investment plan of the Régie du Terminal à Conteneurs (RTC) for the period 2021-2030, which plans to improve existing facilities , in order to respond effectively to the sustained growth in the flow of goods. It is scheduled to come into operation in 2027.
“We have just delivered the multipurpose terminal at the port of Douala , which was inaugurated and is working very well. In 2021, we delivered the only oil terminal that currently exists in Cameroon. The apotheosis will be the construction of the Quai 17 terminal, which is something very symbolic for all of us,” assures Raphaël Abouem, Sales Director for Africa at NEGRI. The operation of the quays and platforms after receipt by the PAD will be ensured by the RTC.
It should be recalled that since 2020, the Autonomous Port of Douala has undertaken a vast program to modernize its infrastructure. In this sense, major rehabilitation works on the platform and quays, as well as improving access have been undertaken, thus significantly increasing the operational capacities of the Terminal.
Strategic investments have enabled the acquisition of cutting-edge equipment, including latest-generation gantries and cranes, making operations faster and more efficient. In addition, innovative systems aimed at automating and streamlining container flow management have been implemented, which has helped reduce costs while increasing transparency in operations.
