The terminal operator DP World has been granted an extension to its concession at the Port of Luanda. The company is planning a $90 million expansion of the terminal.
The concession for the multi-purpose terminal in the port of Luanda, the capital of Angola, has been extended by ten years. DP World will therefore remain active in Luanda until at least 2051. The company has been operating in Angola since 2021 – and has invested more than $260 million in upgrading and modernising the terminal since it began operations.
According to DP World, the terminal’s total cargo throughput has almost doubled over the past five years – from 177,000 to over 350,000 TEU – supported by an additional 28,000 m² of storage space. To accomodate this growth, DP World acquired two further mobile harbour cranes (MHCs) and an additional empty container stacker this year; bringing the total number of MHCs to eight, whilst the number of reefer container connections has been increased from 630 to 700.
At the inauguration of the new terminal building at the Port of Luanda, DP World announced a further investment of $90 million over the next two years to further expand and improve the terminal’s infrastructure, equipment and operational capacities. The planned expansion will extend the quay wall by 222 m and increase the operational area by 10 ha, whilst raising the terminal’s design capacity to 1.2 million TEU.
Combined with the acquisition of three ship-to-shore (STS) cranes and twelve semi-automatic, rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes, this will enable the terminal to handle two Post-Panamax vessels simultaneously. According to DP World, this will consolidate Luanda’s position as a leading container hub for Central Africa and as a major trading centre in sub-Saharan Africa. Furthermore, the expansion promotes local employment and industrialisation, improves competitiveness in exports and helps to attract foreign investment to develop sustainable regional trade flows.
“The expansion of DP World Luanda is an important milestone both for Angola and for the wider region,” said Mohammed Akoojee, CEO and Managing Director for Africa at DP World. “The ability to handle larger vessels will support new shipping services and strengthen the terminal’s potential as a gateway for West and Central Africa. Our investment will improve the efficiency and sustainability of trade flows, giving customers greater reliability, shorter turnaround times and improved access to global markets, and reinforcing Angola’s prominent role within our regional and global logistics network.”
Paco Pinzon, CEO of DP World Luanda, added: “Having our concession extended to 2051 demonstrates our long-term commitment to Angola and its future as a leading regional trade gateway. Our continued investments will create a more efficient and competitive experience for our customers, while supporting Angola’s ambitions to strengthen trade connectivity, diversify the economy and become a continental logistics hub. The expansion will benefit the entire logistics ecosystem, and we will continue to create opportunities, strengthen regional connectivity and contribute to sustainable economic growth in Angola.”
