• Lomé port completes dredging, now fits 24,000 TEU ships
• €7.5M project part of €120M upgrade through 2027
• Aims to boost capacity, jobs, and compete regionally

The Lomé Container Terminal (LCT) has completed a dredging project that will allow the Port of Lomé (Togo) to accommodate fully loaded container ships of up to 24,000 TEU.

The dredging, which cost 7.5 million euros (nearly 4.9 billion CFA francs), ran from July 31 to September 16, 2025. It deepened the access channel to 18.6 meters and expanded the turning basin to 550 meters. An official ceremony to mark the completion was held on Friday, September 19, at the LCT headquarters, attended by LCT management, the head of the Port Autonome de Lomé, Rear-Admiral Adegnon, and representatives from customs and government ministries.

The dredging is part of a larger 120 million euro (nearly 80 billion CFA francs) investment program in infrastructure and equipment, scheduled to run through 2027. LCT, a joint venture between China Merchants Port Holdings and Terminal Investment Limited (a subsidiary of MSC), is undertaking the project.

"These works are part of an 80 billion CFA francs investment program in infrastructure and equipment designed to ensure the handling of these vessels and, at the same time, to increase our annual capacity from 2 million to 2.5 million TEUs," LCT General Manager Tim Vancampen said at the ceremony.

The investment plan includes strengthening the docks, installing a new fendering system tailored for next-generation vessels, and deploying two new ship-to-shore (STS) cranes. The upgrade is also expected to create approximately 150 direct jobs and increase regional cargo volumes.

LCT's move comes amid increasing competition in the Gulf of Guinea from ports like Tema, Abidjan, Lagos, and Lekki. Regional competition hinges on three factors: water depth, productivity, and the customs efficiency of logistics corridors. While Lomé holds an advantage in transshipment volume and depth, rivals are rapidly scaling up. Observers suggest that winning the race for maritime traffic will depend on faster port calls, reliable feeder links, and improved customs interoperability with the Sahelian hinterland.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi