AD Ports Group, CMA CGM to develop multipurpose terminal in Pointe Noire

AD Ports Group has signed a shareholders’ agreement with the CMA CGM Group to jointly develop, manage, and operate the New East Mole multipurpose terminal at the Port of Pointe Noire in the Republic of Congo.

The agreement follows AD Ports Group’s acquisition of a 30-year extendable concession for the terminal in June 2023.

Under the terms, AD Ports Group and CMA CGM’s subsidiary, CMA Terminals, will form a joint venture, with AD Ports Group holding a majority stake.

The terminal will handle containers, general cargo, break-bulk, and other freight at the Central West African nation’s largest Atlantic port.

AD Ports Group previously said it planned to invest about $220m (DHs807m) in the first phase of the project, which includes constructing a 400-metre quay wall with a 16-metre depth and a 10-hectare logistics area.

The agreement strengthens the partnership between the two companies following the December 2024 inauguration of CMA Terminals Khalifa Port, an $845m facility expected to increase Khalifa Port’s container capacity by 33 per cent to 7.8 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2024.

CMA CGM holds the leading position in exports from the Republic of the Congo and ranks second in imports and transhipment, with an overall market share of about 35 per cent in container volumes.

AD Ports-CMA CGM JV will operate terminal as a multi-user facility

The joint venture confirmed that the terminal will operate as a multi-user facility, with AD Ports Group maintaining majority control over its management and operations.

“This agreement further enhances our strategic partnership with CMA CGM in several markets and projects along global trade lines, the latest of which was the inauguration of CMA Terminals Khalifa Port last December,” said Mohamed Eidha Al Menhali, regional CEO of AD Ports Group. “We believe this partnership will position the Republic of Congo at the centre of maritime trade, in line with projections for annual growth of 3  to 5 per cent in container volumes forecast for the country over the medium term.”

Christine Cabau Woehrel, EVP for Assets and Operations at CMA CGM Group, said: “Our investment with AD Ports Group at the Port of Pointe Noire is a new milestone in our strategic collaboration. We look forward to bringing this sustainable approach’s operational and economic benefits to the Republic of the Congo and its importers and exporters.”

The terminal has placed an order for three Super Post-Panamax Ship-to-Shore (STS) cranes, part of a new generation of high-performance port equipment. Pointe Noire will also receive nine hybrid Rubber-Tyred Gantry Cranes (RTGs), which reduce diesel consumption by up to 60%, saving around one million litres of diesel annually and cutting carbon emissions by approximately 5,000 tonnes.

AD Ports Group has completed an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the terminal, adhering to Congolese regulations and International Finance Corporation (IFC) standards. The assessment provided recommendations to enhance the project’s social, community, and environmental performance.

The CMA CGM Group operates 60 port terminals across 30 countries, supporting Central and West African supply chains through its fleet and infrastructure, including Lekki Deep Sea Port in Nigeria and Kribi Container Terminal in Cameroon.

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