Belgium's Jan De Nul to construct new port in Senegal

Belgium's construction company, Jan De Nul, announced on Friday its participation in the construction of a new port, located 50 kilometres southeast of Dakar, Senegal. The project will take two and a half years to complete.The new port, located in Ndayane, aims to alleviate congestion at Dakar’s port, which has reached its maximum capacity. The surrounding area is also completely saturated, according to the company based in Aalst. DP World is leading the port development project. Jan De Nul is tasked with dredging a five-kilometre access channel, which will involve excavating ten million cubic metres of sediment. The company will also develop an 89-hectare platform for maritime services and container storage.Jan De Nul will deploy its most powerful dredging vessel, the Willem Van Rubroeck, for the operation. "It’s not an easy task as the seabed of the channel is mainly composed of hard rock, and the Atlantic Ocean conditions can be challenging. A powerful dredger, large enough to operate even in rough wave conditions, is required," said the company’s area manager for Senegal, Dominique Bombaert.The new deep-water port will be able to simultaneously accommodate two of the world’s largest container ships. It will become the largest port in West Africa, Jan De Nul confirmed.

Source : The Brussels Times with Belga