Bolloré Ports and APM Terminals consortium has reached a new milestone in the construction of the second container terminal at the Port of Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire. The workhorse for the project, the semi-submersible heavy transport vessel Zhen Hua 24. 

The vessel delivered six fleet gantries which are part of an overall order of 13 fleet gantries. This 30-metre-high handling equipment will be used for the loading, unloading and storage of containers in the container yard. The new gantries supplied by ZPMC are equipped with the latest technologies. These include a state-of-the-art control system, and a new-generation power supply system that significantly reduces CO2 emissions and energy consumption.

“The new fleet gantries we have received are part of the eco-responsible approach implemented for this project. In addition to buildings that meet the highest environmental standards, the equipment at the future terminal is part of the Green Terminal environmental labelling process,” said Koen de Backker, managing director of Côte d’Ivoire Terminal.

The delivery of this initial equipment is a major step in the construction of the terminal, which aims to improve logistics services in Côte d’Ivoire and the countries of the sub-region. Thanks to an overall investment of 262 billion CFA francs ($420.9 million), on commissioning in November 2022 the second terminal at the port of Abidjan will be equipped with six gantry cranes, 13 fleet gantries and 36 tractors, all of them electric.

“This equipment is the first in a long series, with the first electric tractors due to arrive in May 2022 and the first gantry cranes in August 2022. The arrival of this equipment solidifies the investment commitments made by Cote d’Ivoire Terminal and its key shareholders, Bolloré and APMT,” explained Olivier de Noray, managing director of port concessions at Bolloré Ports.

Following an international call for tenders, the Bolloré Ports and APM Terminals consortium was awarded the contract to build the second container terminal at the Port of Abidjan. With an area of 37.5 hectares, this new container terminal will be equipped to handle more than 1.5 million TEU containers per year and will accommodate vessels with draughts of up to 16 metres along its 1,100 metres of quays.