Port of Malabo readies for rise in trade

14 Jul Port of Malabo readies for rise in trade

Domingo Efa Mangue, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Port of Malabo, outlines Equatorial Guinea’s logistics strengths and the port’s look for foreign direct investment to boost infrastructure to meet coming demand

Can you give us a history of Equatorial Guinea’s maritime trade infrastructure?

Construction of the first ports in Equatorial Guinea date back to 1926. At the beginning, there was only a breakwater for the arrival of settlers’ boats. In the ’40s, national products began to be marketed in ports resulting in the creation of the first administrative commission of ports. Originally it charged fees in Spanish pesetas but switched to Equatorial Guinean pesetas in 1968 when the country achieved independence. The country founded the Equatorial Guinean port administration in 1985 by presidential decree. Major milestones in our development have been the construction, modernization and upgrading of port infrastructures to meet current demands and creating efficient and punctual port services.

According to the government’s vision, the maritime port sector is of the utmost importance for the national economy since this system allows the rapid management of imported and exported products. There is close collaboration between national and regional ports since we share almost the same clients and connections with inland parts of the country through our modern road network. Our logistics network has facilitated the development of the local economy.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected operations at the Port of Malabo?

COVID-19 caused a drop in activity for the Port of Malabo. The port implemented prevention measures established by the government through the ministry of health. We have prevented crews from coming into direct contact with port operators. We have also maintained preventive actions, such as the use of masks, hand washing and social distancing. Captains must issue a declaration of health before entering the port. We also disinfect all imported merchandise when possible. We collect a list of the last ports ships were docked at from shipping companies, including dates and the duration of their stay, and submit it to local health authorities if required. The Port of Malabo will return to normal once the health ministry and international regulations of the World Health Organization allow it. Thanks to vaccination efforts at the national level, we believe port activity will return to normal soon.

What impact will the African Continental Free Trade Agreement have on Equatorial Guinea’s ports?

The African Continental Free Trade Agreement will have a short-term positive impact on the port network of Equatorial Guinea by facilitating the exchange of manufactured and consumer products between African countries. In the long term, this treaty will facilitate the transfer of technologies that will increase the efficiency of port services. It will boost the development of local economies.

What are your strategies in developing the port’s capacities?

One of our main medium-term strategies is to establish mechanisms to support the increase in maritime traffic. We want maritime traffic to increase according to the capabilities of the port. We have emphasized complying with and enforcing international regulations of the International Maritime Organization’s conventions, such as the International Ship and Port Facility Security code, the International Convention for the Protection of Marine Pollution from Ships and Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic, among others. We have also implemented training programs for our personnel to increase their operational capacities.

We launched a search program for partnership agreements with other countries since we need to increase our capacity and establish direct cooperation links. We will launch an online international media campaign to provide reliable information to economic operators and businessmen who may be interested in the development of our ports. The Port of Malabo would benefit from greater direct foreign investment for technology transfer and to improve port services and train operational personnel. In optimum conditions, the Port of Malabo and its infrastructure contribute directly and positively to the national economy. Specific sectors of the economy that benefit from new capacity at the Malabo port are passenger transport and tourism, agriculture, livestock and fishing.

The Port of Malabo currently has infrastructure suitable for international maritime traffic. We invite any investors who would like to participate in the development of this port. They will have considerable support from port authorities thanks to our port’s privileged geographical location; it can serve for transhipment to different ports in the subregion and can work as a distribution hub. In addition, the Port of Malabo has the capacity to accommodate megaships thanks to its greater depth and easy accessibility.