Reflecting the rapid rise in Angola’s economic and commercial activity over the past decade, the total amount of freight carried by all modes of transport in the republic tripled between 2002 and 2009. Angola relies heavily on its imports and exports, which means its gateways – its seaports in particular – are kept exceptionally busy.
The volume of goods handled in Angola’s ports increased by 29 per cent between 2007 and 2009 alone. Rising activity at the nation’s ports looks set to continue, spurring the need for investment in upgrading infrastructure and new equipment.
With trade relations in the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), home to more than 240 million people around the world, going from strength to strength, the Ministry of Transport predicts the movement of goods at Angola’s ports will reach more than five million tonnes per year by 2015. As well as serving domestic markets, the Ministry foresees Angolan ports forming key links in regional supply chains, attracting goods and traffic heading for nearby landlocked countries.
More than 80 per cent of the cargo entering Angola passes through its largest port just outside its capital city – the Port of Luanda.
Multiterminais has managed the Port of Luanda since 2005. A consortium comprising Nile Dutch Africa Line BV, which has had a presence in Angola since 1984, NDS Lda and Copinol SARL, Multitermi-nais intends to invest more than $52 million (£32 million) during its 20-year concession on enhancing facilities and improving cargo flows at the port.
‘WITH OUR PLANS, THE CARGO TERMINAL AT PORT OF LUANDA WILL BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE AN ANNUAL VOLUME OF TWO MILLION TONNES. THE PORT WILL BECOME AN AGENT OF CHANGE AND OUR CARGO TERMINAL WILL CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THAT’
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“With our plans, the cargo terminal at Port of Luanda will be able to achieve an annual volume of two million tonnes,” says Leonel da Rocha Pinto, general manager of Multitermi-nais and its sister company Multiparques. “This will be of key importance as our nation is expanding its horizons and efforts are being made to boost our production and transformation of goods.
“The port will become an agent of change and our cargo terminal will contribute towards that.”
The 80,000m2 cargo terminal at Luanda will be expanded, roads resurfaced, a series of giant 30,000-tonne silos constructed and new offices and warehouses built at the port. Multiterminais also intends to buy new equipment such as industrial forklifts, a platform scale, tugmasters and an ambulance. Security will be boosted by 24-hour surveillance guards and closed circuit television.
The company is keen to maximise the international experience of its Dutch partner NDS and also sends employees overseas for training, as well as inviting experts from abroad to provide courses for its workforce here. University graduates receive induction courses at Multiterminais to help bring them up to date with the company’s procedures and bridge any practical knowledge gaps.
“The US is very good at logistics,” says Mr Rocha Pinto. “I have been to Baltimore and New York and I have actually seen how the ports work and how the relevant logistics are applied.”
The general manager believes Multiterminais could gain from partnerships with international companies by tapping their experience of logistical flow. “While today we are still doing shipment cargos by hand, for instance, in America they do everything sitting from a chair in the office without having to physically go down to the harbour,” he says. “The harbourmaster automatically receives all the necessary documentation from onboard the ship without being physically there; instead they take full advantage of communication technology.”
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