Senegal offers a new multifunctional port

The President of the Republic of Senegal, Maggie Saul, on Monday went to lay the first stone of the multi-functional port of Ndayane (west), with the aim of reducing the congestion of the Docker.

The project, located 70 km south of Tucker, will be funded by the Emirati Group “Dubai Port World” and the State of Senegal.

Construction on the 1,200-hectare port infrastructure will take place in two phases, with an investment of about 3,000 billion CFA francs.

The inauguration ceremony of the project took place in the presence of Director General of the Dakar Autonomous Ports Abbakar Setik Baye, Chairman of the Emirati Group “Dubai Port World” and Director General Sultan Ahmed bin Sulaiman. Mayors and strong Malian delegation from the Communes of Ndayane, a neighboring city of Bobengine located in the Thies area.

“Through this port, we will undertake three challenges”, including “reducing congestion in Dakar Port and its environs”. This will help “give a boost” to the movement of goods, which “continues to be argued globally,” said President Mackie Sal.

Dakar port captures 95% of Senegal’s trade, but 80% of hydrocarbons and 65% of other traffic from Mali, Macky Sall was quoted as saying in a news release.

Senegal State is a partner in the company responsible for the management of the port’s container terminal. “We are 40% shareholders, and DP World 60%,” he said.

The first phase will create at least 25,000 jobs in the region. It is planned to create 100,000 to 250,000 long-term jobs in two phases, referring to the project’s press release.

The first part of the work planned for the first quarter of 2022 will extend over 300 hectares, taking into account the area allocated for the container terminal, according to the same document.

The first phase, 448 billion CFA francs, will be carried out by the same company DP World. In addition to the 300-hectare container terminal, it will include a 5km sea canal and 18m deep construction that will accommodate post-Panamax and 336m long ships.

The second phase will cost about 169 billion CFA francs. According to the same source, this includes a 410m second wharf and additional excavation of the sea canal.

Operating this infrastructure will enable the handling of ships up to 400 m in length, the document added, adding that with its distribution, new road and rail links will connect the Dakar port to the regional transport network.

Senegal relies on this multifunctional port to equip itself with a port and logistics base to meet the new needs of maritime transport.

Note that Senegal signed an agreement on December 23, 2020 with Emirati subsidiary DP World, paving the way for the construction of this Ndayane port.

The Emirati Group has already been a facilitator of the container terminal at the autonomous Dakar Port in Senegal since 2008.