DP World said yesterday it has won a concession to operate the existing terminal at the Port of Dakar in Senegal and plans to construct a new container terminal at the port.
The company, the world's third-largest ports operator, will invest more than $134 million (Dh492 million) in developing civil infrastructure and equipment at the current terminal. The first phase, to be operational by early 2008, will be completed by 2010.
The development pro gramme will turn the port of Dakar into a world-class common user terminal with highquality services for current and future customers, a company statement said.
The work will more than double the capacity of the existing terminal from 250,000 TEUs (20 foot equivalent container units) to around 550,000 TEUs.
For the construction and management of the new container terminal, Port du Futur, the company will invest over $400m (Dh1.4 billion).
The container terminal, which will have a potential capacity of 1.5 million TEUs, is expected to be operational by early 2011.
DP World will also be contributing to the local community in Senegal, by creating new job opportunities, new housing for employees at the port and establishing a DP World Foundation to make additional investments into local community projects.
This concession for port development follows a memorandum of understanding between the Senegal government and Jafza International, sister company of DP World, signed in December 2006, for developing an integrated special economic zone (SEZ) in Dakar. The final agreement to develop the SEZ will be finalised soon.
"There is potential for development of a free zone affiliated to the new port at Dakar and we also see considerable potential for tourism in Senegal with its beautiful coastline and extensive national parks.
"We are looking at investing in hotels and other recreation facilities there," said Dubai World Chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem.
DP World recently received approval from the United Kingdom for its Dh10.87bn London Gateway project, which will include a mega port and a business park.
When fully developed, the port will comprise up to seven container vessel berths and a RoRo facility along 2.7 kilometres of quayside on the site of a former Shell oil refinery.
The combined output was around 42 million TEU from the Americas to Asia, with global capacity of more than 48 million TEU.
The capacity is expected to rise to around 84 million TEU by 2016.
By Emirates Today Staff
© Emirates Today 2007
