(EcoFinances) – The Autonomous Port of Douala (PAD) and the Autonomous Port of Kribi (PAK) signed a partnership agreement last Thursday (27 July 2023) in Douala, renewing the one signed six years ago (2017). In the presence of several guests and members of the media, the two shipmasters, Patrice Melom (PAK) and Cyrus Ngo’o (PAD), formalised the documents aimed at strengthening the competitiveness, collaboration and complementarity of Cameroon’s two ports.
For the latter, the two public entities, PAD and PAK, « should not show any unnecessary competition, but rather work hand in hand to promote the development of maritime transport in Cameroon and the sub-region ».
In detail, the framework agreement signed last Thursday aims, among other things, to coordination in the implementation of the project to set up a Kribi-Douala maritime feedering line; coordination in terms of joint participation in and/or organisation of promotional and institutional events; coordination in the implementation of recommendations arising from strategic documents; and coordination in discussions on trade facilitation, etc…
As a reminder, the Ports of Douala (PAD) and Kribi (PAK) are the two largest ports in the country, with the densest flows of goods (both imports and exports). The PAK, for example, which is the oldest, has recorded 12.4 million tonnes of goods unloaded and loaded at its facilities in 2022, albeit down (-21%) on 2021. In contrast to the economic capital’s only port, the Autonomous Port of Kribi (PAK) recorded impressive performance in 2022.
In the first six months of last year, the port welcomed 148,128 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) containers to its facilities, a jump of 70.9% on the same period in 2021, and 69% on the annual targets.
