The French construction group Eiffage has announced the start of construction on a new quay at the river port of Matadi, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as part of the second phase of the container terminal’s expansion program.
The project, with an estimated total cost of €100 million, is designed to support the doubling of the port’s annual handling capacity, a process launched in 2019. Once completed, the terminal’s capacity is expected to rise from around 200,000 to 400,000 TEUs, strengthening Matadi’s strategic role in supplying the country and supporting regional trade.
According to Eiffage Génie Civil, the works require specialized drilling techniques adapted to the site’s “hard and heterogeneous” ground conditions. The company is using down-the-hole hammer drilling and the Symmetrix method to ensure the safe installation of foundations.
A 27-Month Construction Timeline
The works, scheduled to last 27 months, include the construction of a piled quay measuring 350 meters long and 30 meters wide, connected by three access gangways. The project also involves building an operations facility and a workshop, as well as rehabilitating seven hectares of logistics platform to improve the terminal’s overall efficiency.
Eiffage also highlighted the project’s local economic impact in the Kongo-Central province, stating that more than 90 percent of the workforce will be recruited locally, as part of efforts to promote skills transfer and on-the-job training.
M&B Magazine