• Port of Dakar launches Jambaar project to modernize non-container terminal

• €85 million investment targets bulk and conventional cargo handling

• Strategy aims to complement, not compete with, future Ndayane deepwater port

As attention increasingly shifts toward the future deepwater port of Ndayane, the Port of Dakar is moving ahead with a more strategic project designed to consolidate its role in Senegal’s and the region’s port system. Known as Jambaar, the program focuses on modernizing Pier 4, which handles conventional cargo and bulk agricultural products. It represents both a bet on a segment often overshadowed by container traffic and a transition strategy ahead of Ndayane becoming operational.

The 25-year concession contract, signed last week with a consortium bringing together Conti-Lines Group, Port of Antwerp-Bruges International, Ership Grupo, and AIG Marine & Terminal, provides for an investment of €85 million ($100 million) for the first phase of the project. The stated objective is to upgrade infrastructure, expand storage capacity, and integrate logistics solutions to improve the operational efficiency of a terminal considered strategic for the Senegalese economy.

Conventional cargo as a strategic lever

At a time when port performance is often assessed primarily through container throughput, the Jambaar project places conventional cargo at the center of the equation for many African economies. In Senegal’s case, these flows are directly linked to agricultural value chains, imports of essential goods, and the supply of inland regions.

According to project promoters, modernizing Pier 4 will help reduce handling times, improve operational reliability, and secure non-containerized supply chains. This positioning is expected to reinforce Dakar’s current standing as a key regional hub. In its most recent Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) report published in September, the World Bank ranked Dakar as the most efficient port platform in sub-Saharan Africa.

A port project designed beyond the quays

Beyond infrastructure upgrades in Dakar, the project includes plans to develop maritime and river links to secondary ports such as Kaolack and Ziguinchor, as well as to other West African platforms. The deployment of barges to handle part of inland shipments is a central component of this strategy.

By encouraging a shift from road transport to river and coastal shipping, the project aims to ease pressure on road networks, reduce urban congestion in Dakar, and lower overall logistics costs. This approach reflects a push toward better distribution of flows, a model that remains underdeveloped in many West African port systems.

Dakar and Ndayane: a complementary strategy

Rather than conflicting with the development of the Ndayane deepwater port, backed by DP World, the Jambaar project is presented as a tool for strategic complementarity. While Ndayane is expected to handle large vessels and next-generation container traffic, Dakar is strengthening its traditional advantages in specific segments with strong economic and social impact.

By upgrading existing terminals and rethinking corridors to the hinterland and secondary ports, Senegal aims to avoid a challenge seen elsewhere in Africa, where historic ports have been sidelined by new infrastructure without proper logistical integration. In line with the country’s Vision 2050 strategy, these projects are expected to be supported by further investment in secondary ports, with the goal of positioning Senegal as a major hub for the port industry in West Africa.

Henoc Dossa