• PAD signs 30-year PPP to rehabilitate Boscam terminal
• Project includes new platform and potential 700-meter quay
• Plan aims to restore regional traffic and boost competitiveness

The Port Authority of Douala (PAD) has signed a public-private partnership with Douala Terre-Port to rehabilitate and modernize the Boscam regional terminal. The project, valued at CFA126.3 billion (about $226.5 million), will be fully financed by the private partner under a 30-year concession agreement.

According to the PAD, the plan includes upgrading the existing site, developing a new 20-hectare platform, and, in an optional phase, building a new 700-meter quay. The project is expected to create around 500 direct and indirect jobs.

The port authority also projects a return of 12.2% over the life of the concession, a level seen as supporting the financial viability of the partnership.

Located on the left bank of the Wouri River, the Boscam terminal was historically used for subregional traffic. However, it gradually lost competitiveness from the 1990s due to silting and the accumulation of wrecks. Clearance operations have since reopened access to the site.

Through this project, the PAD aims to revive regional shipping through cabotage of goods and passengers between Douala and other ports in the CEMAC region. The initiative also aligns with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), with the goal of easing intra-African trade.

As part of the plan, the PAD intends to introduce simplified procedures for cargo and vessel handling once the works are completed, in order to reduce costs and processing times.

The modernization of the Boscam terminal is part of the port’s broader development master plan through 2050, aimed at strengthening Douala’s position in regional trade.

Frédéric Nonos (Business in Cameroon)