• Côte d’Ivoire Terminal added 2 electric STS and 9 RTG cranes to boost capacity at Abidjan’s second container terminal

• The upgrade supports rising container traffic, which doubled to 1.6M TEUs in 2024, driven by larger vessels and regional demand

• Part of a strategy to modernize and stay competitive in West Africa’s port sector

Côte d’Ivoire Terminal announced on Monday, July 14, 2025, it received two new fully electric ship-to-shore, or STS, gantry cranes and nine fully electric rubber-tired gantry, or RTG, cranes. These handling machines are destined for the second container terminal at the Port of Abidjan. Their arrival expands the operator’s fleet to 8 STS cranes, up from 6, and 27 RTG cranes, up from 18.

This expansion will boost operational capacity to meet sustained traffic growth. This growth is driven by the arrival of giant vessels capable of carrying up to 24,000 containers, as well as the commercial momentum of Côte d’Ivoire and its landlocked neighbors, especially Mali and Burkina Faso, which are key clients of the terminal.

The acquisition also strengthens the terminal’s role as a key driver for traffic growth. The logistics infrastructure has significantly contributed to a doubling of container throughput, which rose from 840,926 twenty-foot equivalent units, or TEUs, in 2022 to 1.6 million TEUs in 2024. This increase has impacted overall traffic, which reached 40 million tonnes in 2024, compared to 34.7 million a year earlier.

This investment, which follows several others since the platform’s inauguration, reflects a broader strategy to enhance the Ivorian port’s capacity amid rising competition in West Africa. Like the port facilities in Lomé, Tema, and Cotonou, Abidjan is investing in the modernization of its handling infrastructure. The goal is to reduce vessel turnaround times, streamline logistics, and attract major shipping lines.

Terminal 2 covers 37.5 hectares, features a quay length of 1,100 meters, and has a nominal annual capacity of 1.5 million TEUs. It is operated by a consortium comprising Africa Global Logistics, formerly Bolloré Africa Logistics, which holds 51%, and APM Terminals, with 49%.

Henoc Dossa