DP World Extends Concession at Port of Luanda Until 2051, to Invest USD 90 Million

DP World secured a 10-year extension to its concession to operate the multipurpose terminal at the Port of Luanda, in Angola, which now runs through 2051. The company also announced an additional investment of 90 million dollars over the next two years to expand and upgrade the terminal's infrastructure, equipment and operational capabilities.

Since beginning operations in 2021, DP World has invested more than 260 million dollars in modernizing the terminal. Over the past five years, container volume handled has nearly doubled, rising from 177,000 TEU to more than 350,000 TEU, driven by a 28,000-square-meter expansion of the yard area. This year the company added two additional mobile harbor cranes (MHCs) and an extra empty container handler, bringing the total number of MHCs to eight, while reefer container connections increased from 630 to 700.

The new expansion, announced during the inauguration of the Port of Luanda's terminal building, will extend the berth by 222 meters and the operating area by 10 hectares, bringing the terminal's design capacity to 1.2 million TEU. According to DP World, the concession area will grow from 27 to 37 hectares and berth length from 610 to 830 meters, while total TEU capacity will increase from 500,000 to 1,200,000.

The plan includes the acquisition of three ship-to-shore (STS) cranes and 12 semi-automated rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes, which will enable the terminal to simultaneously serve two Post-Panamax vessels. According to DP World, this capacity will position Luanda as a leading container gateway for Central Africa and a major trade hub in Sub-Saharan Africa, and according to Port Strategy the expansion could cut vessel port dwell times by up to 50%.

Mohammed Akoojee, CEO and General Manager for Africa at DP World, noted that the expansion represents a major milestone for Angola and the region, and that the new capacity will enable additional shipping services and greater reliability for customers. For his part, Paco Pinzon, CEO of DP World Luanda, stated that extending the concession through 2051 demonstrates the company's long-term commitment to Angola and its ambition to become a continental logistics hub.