DRC president Mr. Felix Tshisekedi today launched the construction of a $1.2 billion Banana Port that will be the country’s first deep-water port and will be built by Dubai’s port giant DP World. Once complete, it will process 322,000 containers annually.
DP World, the world’s leading provider of smart logistics, and the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) signed the Collaboration Agreement for the development of the deep-sea port at Banana last year.
The conclusion of the Collaboration Agreement followed the signing of a term sheet earlier last year between DP World and the DRC Government, which summarized the agreed amendments to the initial contract signed in 2018. The port will be located at Banana along the country’s 37km coastline on the Atlantic Ocean.
The development of the Banana Port will bring significant cost and time savings for the country’s trade, as it will attract more direct calls from larger vessels from Asia and Europe.
It will also directly benefit the Kongo Central province in terms of economic development, as the port will attract foreign direct investment to the surrounding area and stimulate local trade and the economy.
“This port will transform the DRC into a trade hub in the region, and in particular, will benefit Kongo Central, a province which already has a port facility, with the creation of jobs, in addition to generating economic benefits and growth for our country,” Tshisekedi
DP World will develop an initial 600-meter quay with an 18m draft, capable of handling the largest vessels in operation. It will have a container handling capacity of about 450 000 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) per year, and a 30-hectare yard to store containers. The port will feature the latest technology and equipment.
