Following a series of test calls , the new Côte d’Ivoire Terminal in Abidjan, a joint venture between APM Terminals and Bolloré Ports, officially marked its operational and commercial go-live on 2 November.
The first vessel to be officially operated on at the terminal was a 267 metre-long CMA CGM Rossini, with a total capacity of 5770 TEU.
APM Terminals said that bringing the new terminal facility to the Ivoirian and West African market is an important milestone, as the new facility is expected to facilitate increased trade between Côte d’Ivoire and the sub-region, as well as strengthen and bring new dynamics to the existing Côte d’Ivoire-Burkina Faso-Mali logistics corridor.
With an area of 37.5 hectares, a 1100 metre-long quay and 16 metres of draft, the terminal is fully digitalized and equipped with all electric equipment. It will be able to handle 1.5 million TEUs annually. The zero-emission terminal also features automated gates and an online truck appointment system that speeds up the pickup and delivery of containers and improves the safety of the process.
The construction was achieved thanks to a total investment of approximately 900 million EUR, including approx. 510 million EUR for groundwork infrastructure financed by the Port of Abidjan and 400 million EUR for the superstructures.
“Côte d’Ivoire Terminal is a real source of satisfaction for us. For two years, we have worked tirelessly to build this facility, in order to provide the Port of Abidjan with an infrastructure that meets international standards, capable of supporting traffic growth while preserving the environment”, commented Koen De Backker , Managing Director of Côte d’Ivoire Terminal.
“We are proud of the completion of this major project, which will contribute to repositioning the Port of Abidjan in the long term as a benchmark logistics platform on the West African coast. I congratulate the teams of the Port Autonome d’Abidjan and Côte d’Ivoire Terminal for having worked together to carry out this important project”, said Hien Sie , Managing Director of the Port Autonome d’Abidjan.
The switch to electric equipment is in line with APM Terminals’ ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2040 and a 70% emission reduction by 2030. As the next step, the terminal is also investigating the switch to green sources of electricity to power the equipment.
At the end of the 20-year concession to operate, the assets will be returned to the Ports Authority ‘Port Autonome d’Abidjan’.