OT Africa Line Service Brochure
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Pointe Noire Port
Information
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Port Infrastructure
Pointe Noire is the seaport for the Congo, on the western coast
of Africa on the Gulf of Guinea 150km north of the mouth of Congo River.
Nicknamed "Porte Oceane of Central Africa" the port rests on a natural
outlet to the Atlantic. The port of Pointe-Noire, whose construction started
on 11 July 1934 following the official inauguration of the Congo-Ocean Railway
(CFCO -
Chemin de Fer Congo-Océan), was brought into service on 1 April 1939.
The port is the natural outlet on the Atlantic ocean for a vital communication
axis in equatorial Africa, stretching from Pointe-Noire to Bangui and Ndjamena,
through the CFCO rail line, the river line (Bassin Congo-Oubangui-Sangha),
and parts of the networks of CAR, Chad, Cameroon, Gabon, Angola and RDC.
Nowadays Pointe-Noire port is one of the few deep water ports
in West Africa, up to 13.20m and can accommodate larger vessels up to 234m
in length. Entry and exit access are through a basin with an area of 84ha which
opens into a 280m wide bay, extended by an access channel with a length of
1,200 m dredged to 11.50 m.
The port area is composed of 900-ha, of which 400-ha are reserved
for extensions and the industrial zone. There are 15-ha dedicated to warehousing
and 11.7-ha
as a container park. The Port of Pointe-Noire operates 24 hours 7 days a
week. There is a total of 4,830m of quay space for general cargo and
bulk berthage. There
are also ore, timber, and lighter berths. The designated
container
berth is 250m long and has a 200-ton per hour loading capacity. There
are fixed cranes with capacity of up to 50-ton.
It offers its clients the following services:
Towing and pilotage
Ship repair with a slip way with a capacity of 700 tons and a ship repair
facility
Freshwater/oil bunkering
Handling, transport, storage, by experienced private operators
Traffic figures:
Approx. exports of 2,200,000t and imports of 640,000t are handled annually
The traffic capacity within this site is estimated at 5-6 million tonnes
per year.
Quay D -7.60m to -9.40m
Quay G 250m at -10.25m
The Lighterage Quay at -3.70m
Mole 1 9,45m and 3.00 m
Oil Quay -11m
The Oil Services Centre (CSP - Centre des Services Pétroliers)
Quay -8.50m
Length of Quay
Quay D 720m
Quay G 530m
The Lighterage Quay 70m
Mole 1 440m
The Oil Services Centre (CSP - Centre des Services Pétroliers)
Quay 190m
Oil Logistics base
The BOSCONGO quay, 426m long with depths of -4.50m
The ELF CONGO quay, 300m long with depths of -6.00m
Storage
Facilities
Area 1 - Quay G
Covered warehouses: 17230m2
Open Yards: 115959 m2
Area 1 Quay D
Covered warehouses: 22231m2
Open yards: 31665m2
Area 1 Mole 1
Covered warehouses: 9766m2
Open yard: 15669m2
Area 1: first zone is dedicated to goods in customs whose free period
is limited to 11 days for national transit and 30 days for international
transit.
Area 2:
Covered warehouses: 2163m2
Open yard: 116311m2
Area 2: warehousing zone without time limits
Area 3:
Open yard: 601586m2
Area 3: dedicated to oil and industrial activities, as well as port
extensions
Log Park:
Open yard: 85074m2
The developed open areas cover a total surface of 126ha, of which 66ha
dedicated to the commercial port and 60ha to the industrial zone. The
commercial port also has open areas dedicated to the following traffics:
containers, rough timber and eucalyptus logs.
Air Connections
Nearest airport 6km
Rail Connections
Nearest railway 2km
Click here to
view SAGA's access and infrastructural
review on Pointe Noire port.
Several public and private companies operate within the port
including the Congolese Shipping Company (SOCOTRAM), the timber handler (SOCOMAB),
Intel (Integrated Logistic Services), the transit companies (SOCOTRA & SOCOTRANA)
and Delmas Vieljeux (WIS).
Transport
News
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Pointe Noire Terminal Project To Commence 2010 - 13/08/09
Pierre Stephane Chabert, Managing Director of Congo Terminals has stated work
on the container terminal at Pointe Noire [PAPN] will commence at the beginning
of 2010. The announcement followed an audience
with Minister of Transport, Martin Parfait Aimé Coussoud Mavoungou.
The concession will be managed by the Bolloré Group over a 27-year period
with plans to expand the port capacity to more than 1-million TEU per annum.
The Bolloré Group own 50% of Congo Terminals with 25% held by Socotrans,
Samariti and Translo and 25% held by privately owned Congolese companies.
Technical operations commenced on 01/07/09 with a review due
to be completed in November this year. International invitations to tender
will be issued for
the extension works on the groin that shelters the terminal and the rehabilitation
and extension of the existing quay. [13/08/09]
Congo-DRC to Revive Joint Permanent Commission - 09/08/09
Just a few days after Congolese President Paul Kagame's historical meeting
with his DRC counterpart, Joseph Kabila, the two are now planning to revive
the Joint Permanent Commission for cooperation between the two countries.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rosemary Museminali, told the cabinet that
preparations are underway to revive the Joint Permanent Commission in a
meeting that will
be held soon. [NT 09/08/09]
APMT To Participate In Congo Terminal - 01/07/09
Just one day after Bolloré Africa Logistics and its local partners Socotrans,
Samariti and Translo began construction work on Congo Terminal, the new container
terminal being developed at Pointe-Noire, it was announced that APM Terminals
would be joining the concession team as a minority stakeholder. APMT already
works alongside Bolloré at other African ports, including nearby Douala
in Cameroon.
The Bolloré Group signed a US$798 million agreement with the Congolese
Government that gave it a 27-year concession to modernize and operate the largest
deepwater port in the Gulf of Guinea, a gateway to the increasingly important
Central African region. The consortium’s plans include expanding the
current 17-ha facility to 38ha with the annual throughput capacity of 300,000
TEUs to be doubled within eight years. The new terminal will be able to accommodate
vessels as large as 7,000-TEU capacity. [WCN 23/06/09 & JOC 01/07/09]
Kinshasa and Brazzaville To Be Linked By Bridge - 13/07/2009
Kinshasa and Brazzaville, the capital cities of the DRC and the Republic
of Congo respectively, are to be linked by a bridge within 5-years. The
decision was
made during a recent meeting of ministers of the Economic Community of the
Central African States (CEEAC). A MOU for the construction has been signed
by the DRC minister of Planning, Olivier Kamitatu and his Congo Brazzaville’s
counterpart, Justin Balemego, the minister in charge of Regional Integration
and Nepad. A US$ 7.7 million feasibility study is underway. Under the terms
of the agreement, the road-and-rail bridge will be 95% financed by the African
Development Bank, with the remaining 5% coming from the two countries. The
bridge, to include both a road and a railway, will promote traffic of goods
between the cities with work is expected to start in Kinsuka suburb in Kinshasa.
The project will not only increase the goods traffic between
the port of Pointe Noire in Congo Brazzaville and the city of Kinshasa, but
reportedly will also significantly shorten the distance between Kinshasa and
the Atlantic ocean by about 200km. The same project includes the construction
of a railroad between Kinshasa and the DRC city of Ilebo, Western Kasai Province
[1,015km]. By doing so, the city of Kinshasa will be linked by railway to Lubumbashi
(2,300km), the capital city of the mineral-rich province of Katanga, South
Eastern DRC. The road/rail bridge will complete a missing road link of the
Trans-Africa Highway 3 from Tripoli-Windhoek-Cape Town, and a rail link for
the Point Noirs – South-Eastern Africa railway network.
Note: NB: Bolloré Africa Logistics and its local partners
Socotrans, Samariti and Translo have recently began construction work on Congo
Terminal, the new container terminal being developed at Pointe-Noire. Last
month it was also announced that APM Terminals would be joining the concession
team.
Pointe Noire Port Access For Mayoko Iron Ore Project
- 12/06/09
A MOU has been formalised between DMC Mining and the Port Authority of Pointe
Noire [PAPN] to assist in
potential export of iron ore from DMC's Mayoko Iron Ore Project in Congo through
Pointe Noire port. PAPN
has also announced plans to expand and modernize the existing port to expand
capacity. [Mineweb
12/06/09]
Cotecna Signs 4-year Extension - 01/06/09
In June 2009, Cotecna signed an addendum for a 4-year extension to the initial
Congo 3-year Pre-shipment Inspection (PSI) contract which started in July
2006. The new contract has an option of a 1-year extension. The addendum
includes a Computerized Risk Management System (CRMS®) and the supply,
maintenance and operation of a mobile container scanner at the Port of Pointe
Noire. The scanner site is being constructed and will be operational early
2010.
The objective of the original exclusive PSI contract was to assist
the government of Congo in securing Customs revenues through a classic physical
control, tariff
classification and valuation, modernizing Customs and reinforcing capacity
building. The contract included the installation of high tech IT and communication
equipment, including a VSAT for satellite transmission of data, voice and
video
signals. Over the past 3-years Cotecna has involved its own staff as well
as Customs personnel in training and knowledge transfer programmes.
An innovative
IT system developed jointly between Congo Customs and Cotecna was implemented
in early 2009. This system, that reconciles ADV / SYDONIA and
Cotecna data, is already showing excellent results. Through this increased
surveillance, Cotecna will reinforce the effectiveness of the imported goods
inspection programmes institutionalized by the government of the Congo. [Cotecna]
Congo: Pointe Noire Port - Works Offically Launched -
08/05/09
Work on the new CONGO TERMINAL at Pointe-Noire has officially been launched.
The container terminal is part of the development concession signed between
the Autonomous Port of Pointe-Noire and the syndicate formed by Bolloré Africa
Logistics and its local partners Socotrans, Samariti and Translo.
Please click here (French or English) for the official detailed
overview
of the project.
AP Moller Maersk joins Bollore in Congo port deal - 06/05/09
APM Terminals, the port franchise of Danish oil and shipping conglomerate AP
Moller Maersk, is to team up with the Bollore Group to build a new deepwater
container terminal in the Republic of Congo.
Mr Klaus Sejling VP of APM Terminals Global Business Development said that "APM
Terminals will be a minority shareholder in the Congo Terminal which achieves
our goal of participating in the market growth of the Congo and Central Africa." Bollore
Group has signed a EUR 570 million, 27 year concession agreement with the Congolese
government in December 2008 on the deepwater facility.
Plans include a new container terminal to handle vessels carrying up to 7,000
TEU container units, and to double annual throughput from 300,000 TEU containers.
Pointe Noire Port Expansion Confirmed - March 2009
Bolloré recently expanded its terminal network in Africa securing a
27-year concession in December 2008 to manage the container facility at the
port of Pointe Noire in Congo in tandem with local partner, Socotrans. Bolloré have
confirmed that the economic downturn will not prevent the development of port
with the company planning to invest some €570m [$511m] over the 27 year
concession to turn the terminal into the first deep water port in West Africa
able to receive vessels up to 6,000TEU.
“Our investment plan includes significant infrastructure
works such as refurbishing and extending existing quays, purchasing the necessary
equipment such as gantry
cranes and RTGs, and developing a logistics area next to the port. Most of
the civil works will be performed during the first eight years as we consider
it a priority to position Pointe Noire as soon as possible as a deep sea port.” [Port
Strategy March 2009]
Bolloré Acquires Congo Port - 26/12/08
On 23/12/08 the Congolese government and French group Bolloré [www.bollore.com]
signed a 374 billion
CFA [570-million Euros / US$798-million] concession agreement for the container
terminal at the port of
Pointe-Noire, the largest deep water port in the Gulf of Guinea.
The 27-year concession provides for the modernisation of port facilities and
improvement of port activities to
attract a large volume of maritime traffic to Congo. Under the project, the
port of Pointe-Noire will get a 38ha
container storage terminal, up from the current 17ha. The project will be managed
by Bolloré Africa Logistics
and its local partner Socotrans. Bolloré also runs ports in Cote d'Ivoire,
Cameroon, Benin and Nigeria. [PANA
26/12/08]
Bolloré Picked For Pointe Noire Box Port Concession
- 12/12/08
Bolloré African Logistics has been pre-selected to take over management
of the container terminal at the Congo-Brazzaville port of Pointe Noire [one
of 12 bidders for the concession]. They will be partnered by local company
Socotrans.
Bolloré will now open negotiations with the Congolese authorities on
the detailed terms of the concession. The two companies will be expected to take part in a US$135m upgrading of the
port which includes a project to double the capacity of its container terminal
from 250,000TEU to 500,000TEU. The European Investment Bank [EIB www.eib.org]
has already announced provision of a EUR 20-million loan last month for the Port
Autonome de Pointe Noire [PAPN]
modernisation plan.
Congo To Revamp Pointe-Noire Port - 11/11/08
The Port Autonome de Pointe Noire [PAPN] plans to modernize the port with support
from Ivory Coast in a
bid to extend the container terminal and increase the competitiveness of its
industrial and commercial
company. The project for modernising facilities includes the enlargement of
the terminal to a capacity
exceeding 250,000TEU, the rehabilitation of wharfs and warehouses, drainage
and electricity supply
networks, the construction of a specialist timber yard, among other things.
The project will help to reduce handling and stopover costs
and increase the port's capacity and traffic. The
enhanced performance of PAPN will also have a positive impact on the economic
activity of the country and
sub-region. The total project is expected to cost Euro 96-million with the
European investment Bank [EIB
www.eib.org] providing a loan of around EUR 20-million. [PANA 11/11/08]
Congolese/Nigerian Government Meet On Security of Maritime
Transportation - 11/09/08
The Federal Government has expressed its readiness to strengthen existing bilateral
relations between Nigeria and
the Congo in the areas security of Maritime Transportation. Minister of Transportation,
Diezani Alison-Madueke who
made the remarks while receiving the visiting Congolese Minister of Transportation,
Coussoud Movoungou said, the
Abuja Memorandum of Understanding [Abuja MOU] on regional Maritime issues was
very critical to the survival of
maritime sector in the sub-region. A 6-nation meeting on the Abuja MOU is to
be held shortly in Benin. [VAN
11/09/08]
Congo Signs Railway Deal With Korean-Led Group -
11/10/07
Congo has signed a deal on 11/10/07 with a Korean-led consortium to construct
1,500 km (940 miles) of new railways and renovate an existing 500-km line
in the Central African state. The deal, signed in the South Korean capital
Seoul by Transport Minister Emile Ouosso, hands the Congo-Malaysia-Korea
Consortium (CMKC) exclusive rights to develop iron ore, oil, gas and forestry
concessions in north and south-west Congo near the lines. Media reports have
said the project is worth more than US$3 billion.
CMKC, which includes Korean Railroad Corporation (Korail) and a unit of Korean
steelmaker POSCO, will operate the railways for 30 years. Construction is due
to begin in 2009. A 1000km line will link the capital Brazzaville with Ouesso
in the country's northwest, near Cameroon. A second route will link Djambala,
in central Congo, to the Atlantic port of Pointe-Noire. The consortium will
also overhaul the existing Congo Ocean Railway Line (CFCO), built in 1934,
which runs 515km from the capital to Pointe-Noire. [Reuters 11/10/07]
Pointe Noire Port: Nautilus is Raised - 05/03/07
Normal operations resumed on 08/03/07 following port closure to remove the
MV Nautilus.
Please click
here for
an image of the Nautilus being raised.
Nautilus To Be Removed - 22/01/07 Smith International has been given the contract to remove the dredger
Nautilus. Owned by Royal Boskalis Westminster nv [www.boskalis.com], the
4,000 m³ dredger
capsized in December during dredging activities for the port of Pointe-Noir.
[OTAL agent 22/01/07]
