Belgium-based offshore installation contractor Jan De Nul has started working on the new deep-water port in Senegal, which will be able to accommodate two of the world's largest container ships simultaneously.
Jan De Nul is responsible for dredging the five-kilometer access channel and will create an 89-hectare platform for maritime services and container storage.
In total, the works are expected to take two and a half years to complete.
The Port of Dakar is nearing its maximum capacity, and the surrounding area is fully saturated. To address this challenge, DP World - a global giant in logistics and trade and the current operator of Dakar’s container terminal - is developing a new port in Ndayane, located 50 km south of the capital.
The project will significantly enhance Senegal’s container handling capacity.
“This is no easy task, as the seabed in the channel consists mainly of hard rock and the conditions in the Atlantic Ocean can be rough. You need a powerful dredger that is also large enough to continue working in challenging wave conditions. That is why we deploy our largest and most powerful cutter suction dredger, the Willem Van Rubroeck, to get the job done,” said Dominique Bombaert, Area Manager for Senegal at Jan De Nul.
Once completed, the port of Ndayane will be able to simultaneously accommodate two of the world's largest container ships, making it one of the largest port in West Africa. For Senegal, this means economic growth and jobs.