Port of Victoria in Seychelles, located on the main island of Mahé and the point of entry for 95% of the East African country’s imports, is set to be upgraded & extended starting from next year in a bid to increase its capacity in response to the rapidly increasing activities at the facility.
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Reportedly, the port’s main and only thoroughfare, a 370m long wharf, has seen the comings and goings of fishing boats, cruise liners, and container ships, and it is estimated that by 2040 transit freight in the country will increase by 250%.
Scope of the project
The upgrade and extension project will be spearheaded by Seychelles Ports Authority (SPA). To begin with, the wharfs, which will mainly be used for commercial storage will be extended by 230m, then, the existing 370m will be renovated i.e. partially demolished and rebuilt. Ultimately, the country will have a more efficient and resilient 600m of port with a lifespan of fifty years at the least.
The project will also involve dredging of the basin and the approach channel to a depth of 16.5m to allow larger freight or cruise ships to call in.
These works will be funded by the French Development Agency (AFD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), and the European Union (EU), who have already granted a total of US$ 41M or its thereabouts to the SPA.
Expectations for the project
The new port facilities, according to Ronny Brutus, the Managing Director of SPA, will provide better service to ships arriving at the Port of Victoria and increase revenues collected by the Authority.
“Also, the port will be able to accommodate modern gearless vessels, which will facilitate container handling, and at the same time it will be able to accommodate larger and more numerous vessels,”
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