| Project Detail |
Project Summary
Approval Date 16 Dec 2022
Planned Completion Date 31 Dec 2025
Last Disbursement Planned Date 31 Dec 2025
Sovereign / Non-Sovereign Sovereign
Sector Transport
DAC Sector Code 21023
Environmental Category 1
Commitment U.A 15,000,000
Status Approved
Project General Description
This Project is a 5-year phased capital expenditure programme under a broader 20-year Port Master Plan. The Banjul Port 2nd and 3rd expansion projects were successfully implemented with an on-lending financing support from the World Bank and the AfDB. Previous initiatives funded by the Bank were focused on infrastructure upgrades. Key lessons learnt from the 2nd and 3rd expansion initiatives compared to the current was the need to undertake a holistic process incorporating both hard and soft infrastructure trade facilitation improvements in order to sustainably transform the port environment by complementing infrastructure upgrades with necessary tools to ensure productivity improvements. The proposed Banjul expansion and modernization project will also serve as a catalyst for strengthening The Gambia’s position as a major trade and transport corridor hub within the Atlantic Trade Hub with an estimated population of about 400 million. The total cost of the Project excluding taxes and customs, but including physical contingencies and financial contingencies, amount to UA 94.12 million equivalent to US$ 129.02 million.
Project Objectives
The overall project objective is to enhance The Gambia’s regional competitiveness and ensure climate resilience of the Port of Banjul. The specific development objectives of the Banjul port 4th expansion project are to: i) reduce the ship waiting time, avoid costly congestion, surcharges, facilitate reduction in sea freight costs and demurrage payments; ii) provide additional capacity to meet the present and future forecast levels of traffic requirements including container traffic; iii) improve port efficiency, operations and management by renewed and digitalized procedures and computerization; iv) facilitate improved traffic flow in and around the access roads leading to the port and make the road climate-resilient; and v) maintain cost-effective and reliable ferry services by introducing green and low emitting ferries. It is also expected that the Project will greatly strengthen the financial position of the GPA and the GFS.
Beneficiaries
The Port of Banjul though located in The Gambia is a key gateway to the greater West African region, serving a wide hinterland consisting of The Gambia, Mali, Guinea Bissau, and Guinea Conakry. The overall beneficiaries of the proposed port expansion and modernisation are diverse and include the people and the Government of The Gambia as well as that of the regionally connected countries within the ECOWAS sub region. Trade, shipping lines and logistics industries, consumers and exporters at the national, regional, and international levels are some of the potential direct beneficiaries. Other Government agencies including GRA are major players and beneficiaries of Banjul’s ports operating environment. Indirect beneficiaries are bound to be cross cutting and cover all aspects of economic activities within The Gambia and beyond as the transformed port is bound to provide through its natural strategic position leverage opportunities linking West Africa, Europe, and the America’s. |
