Chinese company hands over 2nd phase of deep seaport to Cameroon

YAOUNDE -- China Harbor Engineering Company (CHEC) on Friday handed over the second phase of the Kribi Deep Seaport to authorities in southern Cameroon.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Patrice Melom, general manager of the Port Authority of Kribi (PAK), said the completion of the second phase will significantly improve the efficiency of the port.

"PAK has grown. In the first phase, we had only 615 meters. Now, we have grown to 715 meters. That will permit us to handle more traffic on our port," Melom said while commending CHEC for "good collaboration and flexibility" during the construction.

Chen Ze, general manager of CHEC Central Africa Division, said the handover ceremony marked a major milestone that will enable the Kribi Deep Seaport to play a crucial role in driving regional economic development.

"The completion of its second phase is an important step toward meeting the growing demands of trade and enhancing the port's handling capacity. Today's handover is not an endpoint but rather a new beginning. Moving forward, we will continue to support the government in optimizing port facilities and enhancing service quality to provide customers with more efficient and convenient logistics solutions," Chen said.

In 2018, CHEC completed the port's first phase, which stimulated the country's economy. The construction of the port's second phase started in 2019.