The Port of Antwerp is to collaborate in further developing the port of San Pedro in the Ivory Coast, it has been revealed, helping develop 2000ha of vacant land.
Port of Antwerp International (PAI), the international subsidiary of Antwerp Port Authority, will assist San Pedro in drawing up the master plan for the port of San Pedro, according to arrangements laid down in a memorandum of understanding signed by representatives of PAI and San Pedro.
San Pedro currently handles a freight volume of between 1.5m and 2m tonnes annually, and has already drawn up several practical investment and development projects for 'significant regional expansion'.
'One of the objectives of PAI is to further bind freight and customers to Antwerp, and this will form the starting point of our activities there,' explained Nico Vertongen, Africa manager at PAI.
PAI has agreed to carry out specific studies for port facilities and operation of the port area. Training for port professionals will be provided by APEC, the training subsidiary of Antwerp Port Authority. For this purpose Antwerp Port Authority will make three scholarships per year available to its counterpart in San Pedro.
There will also be support for commercial activities, the port confirmed. To promote the port of San Pedro a joint Port Day will be held in 2012, while prospecting missions will be sent to the hinterland of San Pedro (the south of Mali, the east of Guinea and the southeast of Liberia) with a view to further developing San Pedro on a regional scale.
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