AD Ports to run terminal at Congo’s Pointe-Noire for 30 years: AD Ports Group has signed a 30-year concession agreement with the Republic of the Congo to manage and operate the multipurpose New East Mole Terminal at Congo’s Pointe-Noire Port, according to a company statement. The signing comes on the heels of a head of terms agreement inked by both sides in March.

The details: The agreement grants AD Ports Group exclusive rights to develop, operate, manage, and maintain New East Mole Port, which handles containers, general cargo, break-bulk, and other types of cargo, the statement said. Running 30 years from the date of signing, the terms also permit AD Ports Group to renew the arrangement for a further 20 years, subject to the same terms and conditions.

AD Ports Group will invest USD 500 mn at the terminal over the 30-year duration, most of which will go towards digitization and improving efficiency at the terminal, the statement added. A USD 220 mn investment is slated for the first phase of the concession agreement and is expected to be concluded within the next two and a half years. This includes “design, implementation and operation of single-window, software development, digital architecture, business analytics, digital operations support and digital transformation,” the statement said.

What they said: “By expanding our operations and presence in Congo, we are not only strengthening our position in the region, but also tapping into a new market with immense potential. We anticipate boosting trade and commerce between our countries and opening new trade routes, creating new employment opportunities, and contributing to the overall development of Congo,” said AD Ports Managing Director and Group CEO Mohamed Al Shamisi. Congo’s International Cooperation Minister Denis-Christel Nguesso referred to the accord as a “game-changer” that will give strong impetus to the country’s transport, trade, and logistics sectors.

Also in the works: AD Ports Group is also reportedly looking to acquire terminals at Pakistan’s port city of Karachi in exchange for emergency funds needed by the country, according to Indian daily Siasat. Although the details of the arrangement are not known, Pakistan has said it is putting together a committee to negotiate a draft agreement with the UAE that would “further strengthen the relations between the two countries in the maritime sector,” Pakistani Finance Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar said.

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