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Angola: Activity of Port of Lobito may exceed that of Port of Luanda [ 2008-08-22 ]


Benguela, Angola, 22 Aug – Cargo movement at the port of Lobito may exceed that of the port of Luanda if its growth level is maintained, the regional delegate for the Benguela National Reconstruction Office, Fernandes Andrade told Portuguese news agency Lusa.

Built as a port for exporting mining products to neighbouring countries, as well as Angolan fishing and farming products, the port of Lobito, in Benguela province, “is now working as an import port,” Andrade said, adding that, despite not yet having exceeding the volume of unloaded cargo of the port of Luanda, “it is going that way if it continues at this rate.”

The port of Lobito, he said, “is a very ambitious project, with several phases, and which, at the end of 2009, may have a different face.”

When work is concluded to improve the port’s facilities as well as reconstruction of the Benguela railroad, the two facilities will be able to transport products from Angola’s interior and mining products from neighbouring countries, which currently use the South Africa corridor.

As well as this, “the new Lobito refienry, when it is ready, could provide a bug push, not only to the Benguela railroad, but also to the port, because there is refined oil here that could be crucial for interior countries in Southern and Central Africa,” Andrade said. (macauhub)