Congo Terminal of Republic of Congo, has unveiled plans to build a new container terminal in Pointe-Noire with a total investment exceeding €400 million ($420 million). The terminal, named Congo Terminal ‘Môle Est,’ is expected to be operational by 2027 as part of the company’s efforts to expand its capacity.
The new terminal will feature 750 meters of quays with a draft of 17 meters, covering 26 hectares of quayside. It will also be equipped with 16 fully electric gantries, including 4 Ship-to-Shore (STS) cranes and 12 Rubber-Tyred Gantry (RTG) cranes. Extensive dredging work will be carried out to widen the channel to 300 meters at the curve and 250 meters in the remaining sections.
This new infrastructure, which will meet EDGE certification standards, is designed to accommodate larger vessels from Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and Europe. The project is expected to more than double the terminal’s capacity, increasing its annual throughput from 1 million to over 2.3 million TEUs.
Séraphin BHALAT, Managing Director of the Port Autonome de Pointe-Noire (PAPN), highlighted the significance of the Môle Est project, noting that it would create over 900 new jobs and stimulate economic activity in the region.
Anthony Samzun, Managing Director of Congo Terminal, emphasized that the Môle Est development is a collaborative effort between Congo Terminal and PAPN. He stated that the project aims to enhance the port’s capacity to handle the growing demands of shipping lines, allowing them to dock larger vessels and meet the evolving needs of port users.