DP World has achieved a record container handling performance at the Port of Dakar, handling 76,282 TEU during March, the highest throughput in a single month since DP World began operations in Senegal in 2008.

Since then, DP World has invested nearly $300 million to upgrade and expand the terminal. These investments have increased productivity by 200% and reduced vessel waiting time from an average of 35 hours to zero. This has also led to increased trade, economic growth and the creation of both direct and indirect jobs, as well as improved access to goods for communities in Senegal and the wider region.

DP World’s successive investments in the Port of Dakar have transformed the terminal into the best-performing in West Africa and one of the best on the continent, steadily increasing productivity from 265,000 TEU per year in 2008 to 738,000 TEU per year in 2022.

Clarence Rodrigues, CEO of DP World Dakar, said: “This record performance in March is the result of excellent teamwork, detailed planning and execution, while at the same time ensuring the highest levels of safety and risk management. We managed to achieve this while maintaining our current high-performance levels. A more productive container terminal allows us to attract more vessels and further strengthen the Port of Dakar’s position as a regional trade hub.”

Mountaga Sy, CEO of the Port Autonome de Dakar (Dakar Port Authority), said: “The constant increase in productivity at the container terminal is helping to boost trade in Senegal and the sub-region. This is in line with the vision of the Head of State as expressed in the Plan Senegal Emergent, which aims to strengthen the position of Senegal as a privileged point of entry for transit to the sub-region.”