French group CMA CGM, the world’s third largest in sea cargo transport, will start operating the port of Lobito terminal in southern Angola, in partnership with Angola’s Multiparques, the French group said last week.

According to the information disclosed, the contract for was signed in Paris on 18 December, in the presence of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Angola and France, and the terminal will be operational in 2015.

The location of the port of Lobito, near Benguela and Huambo – the largest cities in Angola after the capital Luanda – justifies the French group’s involvement and the main aim is for it also to be assigned to the rail corridor between the Atlantic Ocean (Lobito) and the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia to ensure the maritime export of ore mined in these two countries.

“These two factors are positive prospects for the port of Lobito to have a great future in intermodal operation,” the vice president of CMA CGM, Michel Alexis said.

Apart from operational management of the second largest port in Angola after the port of Luanda, the CMA CGM partnership with Multiparques also intends to “develop logistics platforms” in the country.

The French group has seven regular routes to Angola and intends to “capitalise” on its experience in intermodal transport, maritime and logistics platforms in the Angolan market.

CMA CGM is present in 150 countries and has over 18,000 employees. It was founded in Marseille in 1978 and operates with a fleet of 428 vessels serving 400 ports through 170 lines. (macauhub/AO)