Pointe-Noire port throughput hits a new high
Congo Terminal reports it handled 1,219,164 TEU during 2025, marking the first time the company has crossed the 1.2 million-container threshold in a single year. The operator links the performance to ongoing efforts to expand capacity at Pointe-Noire.
For logistics companies, importers, and exporters, the number is a key signal of how the port is coping with growing demand. It also highlights the strategic role of Pointe-Noire in supporting trade flows and wider economic activity in the Republic of the Congo.
A milestone aligned with a major expansion project
The company says the 2025 record comes as a new port platform is being built at the East Mole of the Port of Pointe-Noire. Congo Terminal presents the project as a capacity and efficiency upgrade designed to match rising volumes.
In practical terms, the works aim to provide more space and improved conditions for container operations. For port users, this can translate into smoother handling, better planning for shipping lines, and additional room for transshipment activity as the platform comes online.
CEO sets a 2027 target of 2 million containers
Anthony Samzun, Congo Terminal’s Chief Executive Officer, said the concession that began in 2009 has been marked by steady growth in volumes. He noted that annual container handling has increased sixfold, from 200,000 to more than 1.2 million TEU.
“Since the start of the concession in 2009, we have multiplied by 6 the volume of containers handled, moving from 200,000 to more than 1.2 million TEU. We are now targeting the threshold of 2 million containers handled by 2027 with the commissioning of the new port platform currently under construction,” Samzun said.
The statement frames the expansion as a medium-term plan, with the new platform described as a key lever for the next stage. The 2027 objective signals confidence that infrastructure and equipment additions can unlock higher throughput without sacrificing service quality.
Over €450 million invested since 2009
Congo Terminal says it has invested more than €450 million at Pointe-Noire since 2009. The company describes this spending as focused on infrastructure development, staff training, and the acquisition of advanced equipment to modernize port operations.
Such investments are often felt on the ground through upgraded yards, improved handling systems, and better-supported teams. For the broader economy, the company positions these upgrades as part of a longer effort to strengthen the country’s maritime gateway.
A new platform budgeted at just over €400 million
Beyond earlier spending, the company has launched construction of the new port platform for a little more than €400 million, according to the figures it has communicated. Congo Terminal says the additional investment is meant to accompany national economic growth.
For many businesses, port capacity is not only a technical issue but also a day-to-day cost factor. Higher capacity can reduce bottlenecks, improve predictability for shipments, and support supply chains serving both local markets and regional routes.
Building a deep-water reference hub in West Africa
Congo Terminal says it is continuing its investment program with a clear ambition: to make Pointe-Noire a reference deep-water port and a center of excellence for transshipment across the southern part of West Africa’s Atlantic coast.
If the plan stays on track, the port’s positioning could be reinforced by higher volumes, expanded handling areas, and upgraded equipment. For the Republic of the Congo, the company presents this direction as aligned with broader development goals linked to connectivity and trade.