DP World, Senegal sign agreement to develop Ndayane port

Trade enabler DP World, and the Government of Senegal, have signed agreements for the development of a deepwater port at Ndayane, approximately 50 kilometres (km) from the existing port and near the Blaise Diagne international airport.

The new port will further reinforce Dakar's role as a major logistics hub and gateway to West and North-West Africa. It will also support the realization of President, Macky Sall's ambitious economic development plans for Senegal, the Plan Senegal Emergent (PSE).

DP World's concession for the Port of Dakar, already includes a plan to develop a new container terminal alongside the existing container terminal.

However, after discussions between Sall and Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, it was agreed that it would be more appropriate for Senegal's development to carry out a more ambitious project and build an entirely new port outside the city.

After constructive and detailed discussions, the agreements were signed in Dakar, between Alioune Ndoye, Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Economy of Senegal; Aboubacar Sedikh Beye, Director-General of the Autonomous Port of Dakar (PAD), and DP World's Chairman, paving the way for the development of the new port.

DP World Dakar SA, the local joint venture company between DP World and PAD, will not only develop and operate the 300-hectare (ha) container terminal but also finance, design and develop the land and maritime infrastructure of the new 600ha port. The first phase of this project will see an investment by DP World Dakar of US$837 million, which will make it the single largest private sector investment in the history of Senegal and is expected to be followed by the second phase of investment of $290 million.

Phase 1 will include a new container terminal with 840 metres (m) of the quay and a new 5km marine channel designed to handle 366m vessels and capable of handling the largest container vessels in the world. Phase 2 will create 410m of additional container quay and further dredging of the marine channel to handle 400m vessels.

The first phase of the Ndayane Container terminal will be operated alongside the existing DP World Dakar container terminal. Due to the government's vision for the development of the Port of Ndayane as a site for the next 100 years of port activities in Senegal, the container terminal will eventually have over 3km of quay and 300ha for the container yard. This will enable the existing Port of Dakar to be redeveloped into a mixed-use residential and commercial waterfront and cruise terminal.

DP World is also planning to develop a special economic zone next to the Port of Ndayane to further strengthen the attractiveness of Senegal to foreign investors looking at the Ecowas region.

Cheikh Kante, Minister of State, and Special Envoy to the President, said,

"The development of the new port at Ndayane will enable Senegal to maintain its position as the maritime gateway to the region and play a significant contribution towards the realisation of Maky Sall's vision for an Emergent Senegal."

Alioune Ndoye, Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Economy, said,

"The Port of Ndayane, a major component of the port platform, gives our country back its leadership position thanks to its comparative advantages unlike any other in the sub-region. The President of the Republic, Macky Sall, has set out in the plan, Senegal Emergent (PSE), to make our country an integrated and competitive logistics hub."

Aboubacar Sedikh Beye, Director-General of the Port Authority of Dakar, said,

"The development of the new port at Ndayane will provide a strong engine of growth for the next phase of the Plan Senegal Emergent."

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, said,

"This will be DP World's biggest port investment in Africa to date, and is a testament to our commitment to Senegal and belief in its potential for further economic growth. I would like to thank President Macky Sall, for his leadership and vision for the development of the port, and for partnering with us on this exciting project."

Senegal recently became the second country to join the World Logistics Passport, a major initiative by Dubai established to increase trading opportunities between developing markets.

News Source: http://wam.ae/en/details/1395302897516