• Cabinda and Soyo terminals granted to SOGESTER for 20 years
• Move aims to cut transport costs and increase cargo and passenger traffic
• Strategy targets stronger regional logistics role beyond oil sector

In Angola, the operation of passenger and cargo terminals at the seaport of Cabinda and the river port of Soyo, in Zaire province, has been awarded for 20 years to the Société de Gestion des Terminaux (SOGESTER), owned by APM Terminals and an Angolan investment fund. According to authorities, the concession aims to strengthen maritime logistics efficiency in the north of the country, with expected benefits including lower transport costs, higher cargo and passenger traffic, and improved cross-border trade.

The concession agreement was signed on April 27 in Luanda, following an international tender launched in March 2025 for the operation of these infrastructures.

Connected to Luanda and to ports in neighboring countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo, Cabinda and Soyo serve as strategic hubs for maritime and river trade in northern Angola. They link several cities, populations, and businesses across sectors, notably the oil industry.

The award of this contract forms part of the Angolan government’s strategy to modernize and improve the competitiveness of the port sector through more efficient infrastructure management and stronger regional positioning. Located between the Atlantic Ocean and two major mining exporters, the DRC and Zambia, Angola aims to leverage its geographic advantage to accelerate economic diversification, which remains heavily dependent on oil revenues.

In the transport and logistics sector, identified as a key driver of this policy, the country has increased investments in both major and secondary ports to support traffic growth ambitions. Alongside port projects, several road and rail developments are also planned to build an integrated logistics network.

Henoc Dossa