The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) has successfully concluded a two-day preparatory workshop on implementing the African Ports Connectivity Portal Project (APC-PP) to improve data collection and connectivity among the continent’s ports.

Held in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, from 8-9 July 2024, the workshop rallied together key stakeholders and experts from various organizations, including port management and maritime associations, the African Union Commission, regional economic communities, and port authorities from ten African countries.

The African Ports Connectivity Portal Project is supported by a $2 million grant from the Beijing-based Multilateral Co-operation Center for Development Finance (MCDF). This grant will facilitate the creation of a comprehensive port data book, offering performance data for Africa’s ports and maritime transport sector, along with practical information on the continent’s leading ports. Additionally, the project will develop a secure, web-based tool for collecting, storing, and retrieving port data across the continent.

The initiative comes as a response to longstanding inefficiencies in African ports operations, which have led to higher logistics costs and hindered economic growth. Many ports across the continent have suffered from underinvestment and lack of reliable port performance data, essential for effective planning and management.

To address these issues, the African Development Bank established the African Ports Connectivity Portal Project (APC-PP) to digitize and integrate data collection, thereby improving data quality and availability. The project will enhance port development planning, policy dialogue, and regional infrastructure strategies, ultimately strengthening the capacity of African ports.

Discussions during the workshop centered around three components of the APC-PP: technical support, design and implementation, and project governance.

The workshop resulted in several recommendations including the need to involve supranational organizations such as the African Union Commission, African governments, regional organizations, port management associations, port authorities, and the private sector.

The Workshop also observed the need to establish the project governance structure and the formation of a dedicated working group to review the terms of references and provide the project implementation plan, conduct a study on the sustainability plan for the portal project, the prequalification of ports authorities present as pilots for the project. These recommendations are expected to significantly impact the maritime sector in Africa, improving port operations and reducing logistics costs.

Jean Marie Koffi, Secretary General of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), emphasized the project’s importance: "Ports play a central role in the trade and economic integration of our continent. Improved connectivity between our ports is essential for enhancing efficiency, reducing logistics costs, and strengthening Africa's competitiveness in the global market.’’

Marco Yamaguchi, Division Manager, Transport and Logistics at the African Development Bank, described the envisioned portal as “a tool for optimizing port operations to facilitate intra-African trade, enhance security and transparency, and promote sustainable development."

Frederic Wiltmann, Head of Programming at the MCDF, stressed that the Bank’s initiative to support Ports Connectivity Portals could become an important tool to identify and prioritize future investments in African port infrastructure. 

The next steps include implementing the web based port data portal, Africa Port Index, publishing  port data book, and enhance collaboration with regional stakeholders to ensure the success of the APC-PP. A follow-up meeting is scheduled for early August in Addis Ababa, where a committee of port experts will finalize the project’s implementation instruments.