The port of Luanda handled 7.6 million tons of miscellaneous cargo in 2017, a real increase of 513,000 tons and a 7% increase against the amount recorded in 2016, according to Porto de Luanda – Empresa Portuaria de Luanda, established 75 years ago.

The port of the Angolan capital received 4,144 ships last year, of which 633 are long-haul and 3,511 are for coastal shipping (cabotage), a drop of 478 vessels compared to 2016, when it received 4,622 vessels.

In the first quarter of 2018, the port handled 1.476 million tons of miscellaneous cargo, a decrease of 26% compared to the same period of 2017, when 1.986 million tons were processed.

During this three-month period, the port received 883 ships, 130 of which were long-haul and 753 were cabotage, 193 less than in the same period in 2017.

The figures quoted by the Angop news agency were disclosed by Porto de Luanda – Empresa Portuaria de Luanda during a meeting to present the request for the company to formally join the United Nations Global Compact.

The port infrastructure management company this year has invested more than US$13.8 million in works to improve the facilities, including the continuation of construction of a dock 260 metres long (US$8 million) in dredging (US$2.8 million) and the installation of two floating ramps (US$2.9 million).

The dock, which has been under construction since 2016, will allow, when completed, the simultaneous mooring of 12 small and medium-sized ships and two Roll-on/roll-off vessels, specialised freighters for the transport of wheeled vehicles, from cars to rail cars. (macauhub)