• SGS cargo scanning at Cameroon’s Port of Douala has been disrupted since Jan 1, 2026, amid legal disputes over contracts and authority.

• The Port Authority and the Finance Ministry disagree on the duration of SGS’s contract, prompting a new operator and procedural uncertainty for port users.

• Despite the disruption, SGS remains active in Cameroon, while stakeholders seek a secure, efficient port system aligned with export goals.

Cargo scanning operations carried out by the Swiss firm SGS at the Port of Douala-Bonabéri have been disrupted since 1 January 2026. The issues stem from conflicting legal interpretations concerning the contractual and institutional arrangements governing a vital part of Cameroon’s import, export, and transit system.

The situation follows a reconfiguration of the scanning framework by the Port Authority of Douala (PAD), the public entity overseeing the country’s main port. As part of this process, PAD approved the deployment of a new operator, Transatlantic D S.A., a move that has gradually diminished SGS’s presence within the port. For shipping and logistics operators, the transition has introduced procedural changes and a period of operational uncertainty.

This shift occurs as the Port of Douala remains central to Cameroon’s export-driven industrial and mining ambitions, while also functioning as a major transit hub for landlocked neighbouring countries. In such a context, predictable control mechanisms and clear regulatory oversight are vital to maintaining efficient logistics chains.

Institutional Disagreement

At the core of the disruption is a disagreement between the Port Authority of Douala and the Ministry of Finance. PAD refers to a 2019 decree assigning it responsibility for managing the port domain, including cargo scanning activities. It also claims that the 10-year contract between SGS and the Cameroonian state expired on 31 December 2025.

The Ministry of Finance holds a different view. It contends that, under regional customs regulations, cargo scanning is inherently linked to customs revenue collection and, consequently, falls within the state’s sovereign functions. The ministry cites a 10-year contract signed with SGS in March 2015, noting that its effective implementation depended on the complete delivery of scanning equipment, which was finalised in April 2022. Based on this, the ministry considers SGS’s mandate to extend until 2032.

Adding to the complexity, an annexe to the contract—never initialled by the port authority—stipulated that the final equipment was to be delivered by the end of 2015. No public information confirms any formal extension of that deadline. The conflicting interpretations have led to operational changes at the port, including a procedural adjustment phase and a move towards systematic scanning. Consequently, importers, exporters, and transit operators have had to adapt to longer processing times and revised workflows.

Further intensifying the debate, a document signed by the Chief of Staff to the President of the Republic and widely circulated on social media on 28 January 2026, indicated—in a note addressed to the Minister of Transport—that the preferred option was the withdrawal of SGS from the port area to enable the comprehensive deployment of the new system. Port officials state that the move aims to provide legal certainty to the transition and restore clarity to port operations, although the document remains formally unauthenticated.

While its scanning operations at the Port of Douala have been limited, SGS continues to operate in Cameroon through other activities, including the Import Verification Programme, conformity assessments, and vehicle technical inspections. Looking forward, the challenge for authorities and operators will be to establish a port framework that is secure, efficient, and predictable, aligning with the country’s broader trade and industrial objectives.

Idriss Linge