AD Ports Group has awarded contracts exceeding US$114 million to Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC) for the supply of six ship-to-shore (STS) cranes and 17 hybrid rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes.
These cranes will be deployed at AD Ports Group’s terminal projects at the New East Mole Terminal in Pointe Noire, Republic of the Congo, and Noatum Ports’ Luanda Terminal in Angola.
“We are pleased to advance our concession agreements in Angola and Congo. These cranes play a crucial role in modern port operations. In line with the vision of our wise leadership to enhance trade and promote investment relations with key global partners, we are committed to investing in our terminals’ infrastructure and adopting advanced, innovative technology solutions to add value to our customers and partners and benefit the economies we operate in,” stated Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and CEO of AD Ports Group.
The contracts align with AD Ports Group’s 30-year concession to develop and operate a multipurpose terminal at Pointe Noire Port in the Republic of the Congo, and its 20-year concession to modernize and operate the Luanda Terminal in Angola.
These agreements support the company’s strategy of fostering advanced development in emerging markets to promote mutual and sustainable economic growth.
Under the terms of the contracts, both Pointe Noire and Luanda terminals will each receive three Super Post-Panamax STS cranes, capable of reaching 21 container rows over a 60-meter distance.
Additionally, Pointe Noire will be equipped with nine hybrid RTGs, while Luanda will receive eight. These hybrid RTGs can reduce diesel consumption by up to 60% compared to traditional diesel RTGs, saving approximately one million liters of diesel per year and cutting CO2 emissions by around 5,000 tonnes.
“As the world market leader in STS cranes and ports equipment, ZMPC’s global footprint is unparalleled, as is the strength of our specialist upgrades teams. We are pleased to expand this multi-year partnership with our key client AD Ports Group to supply state-of-the-art Super Post-Panamax STS cranes for its expansion into Africa,” commented Ruikai You, Party Secretary and Chairman of ZMPC.
In June 2023, AD Ports Group secured a 30-year concession agreement with the Government of the Republic of the Congo to manage and operate the multipurpose New East Mole Terminal in Pointe-Noire. Over the concession period, an estimated US$500 million will be invested to handle various types of cargo, including containers, general cargo, and breakbulk.
Additionally, in April 2024, AD Ports Group signed a 20-year concession agreement (with an option to extend for 10 more years) with the Luanda Port Authority for the operation and modernization of the Luanda multipurpose port terminal in Angola.
The group has pledged over US$250 million towards upgrading the terminal and expanding its logistics operations over the next three years, with potential investment rising to US$379 million over the concession period, depending on market demand.
