Caio Deepwater Port is a seaport located in northern Cabinda province, Angola where construction is still ongoing. The construction work which started in 2015 was halted for two years. But it was restarted in January 2020 as a result of a USD124 million debt settlement with the contracting firms.
The Caio Deepwater Port will have a 1,130-metre dock to moor up to four ships at the same time, which will be 16 meters deep. Furthermore, the port will have the capacity to move about 60 containers per hour. The project will cover an area of over 2,500 hectares.
Reported in June 2015
The first Phase of Deepwater Port of Cabinda launched
The first phase of construction of the Deepwater Port of Cabinda was recently launched in the village of Caio Litoral and was witnessed by the Provincial Governor Aldina da Lomba and Brian Fuggle who is the CEO of Caio Port.
According to Brian, works on the early stages of the Deepwater Port of Cabinda were awarded to Frank Africa Company which will mobilize European Equipment where 20 to 60 drill holes 35 meters deep will be created.
The company will also offer significant information for the port foundation, and provide a geotechnical barge, and platform of modular self-lifts with a lift system for drilling the ocean floor, and all this is expected to be complete within 8 to 10 weeks.
Brian further noted that the construction of the Deepwater Port of Cabinda was in line with the Government of Angola’s plans for national infrastructure reconstruction. Upon completion, it will help in the economic development of the Cabinda province and the country at large.
Construction work on the Deepwater Port of Cabinda will have three phases which are carefully designed to ensure that the port has sustainable impacts with minimal risks to the locals and the environment. 1000 direct jobs will be created and the growth of business as a result of the development of the port will make more jobs to be created.
Reported in January 2017
Major deepwater port in Angola to open this year
A new deepwater port in Angola known as the Port of Caio is being developed in northern Cabinda Province. Constructed as a three-phase project, the first phase is scheduled for a soft launch in the fall of 2017.
This Atlantic shoreline region, known for its abundant resources such as tropical hardwoods, coffee, cocoa, tropical fruits, and phosphate holds some of the largest offshore oil fields in the world and accounts for 60% of Angola’s oil production.
Attuned with the Angolan government’s national transport strategy, the Port of Caio will serve as the primary commercial harbor for the Cabinda Province which complements the port facilities of Soyo, Luanda, Lobito, and Namibe dotted along the western coastline to the south of Cabinda.
Due to its location and water depth, the Port of Caio will provide an opportunity for shipping lines to utilize this state-of-the-art port facility as a transshipment hub to serve other areas of Africa’s West Coast.
Port Specifications: The Port of Caio will have two multipurpose berths and terminals in the initial years offering 630m of berth length and 5,000 TEU capacity for one container mainliner and a second container berth with up to 3,000 TEU capacity or one multipurpose vessel.
It is expected that once maritime traffic increases in the Port of Caio over the next decade, followed by a growth in the industry for the design of larger container vessels, construction will be underway in the Port of Caio for the following: two dedicated terminals (housing both port containers and phosphate rock) and a second set of dual terminals for general cargo, project cargo, wood and vehicles that will include an additional 500m of commercial quay length to be used as a multipurpose berth.
Economic Diversification and Local Growth: According to the Port of Caio’s Interim CEO Jack Helton, the port will be designated as a Free Trade Zone (FTZ) and will provide numerous opportunities for warehousing and distribution, storage, lay down area and development of oil and gas related activity.
The Port and FTZ are closely situated to the existing Futila Industrial Zone which is currently being developed with light to medium industry and provides the resources for oil and gas “downstream” development.
According to Helton, the Port of Caio and its FTZ status will facilitate economic growth and development which has been limited due to the lack of modern efficient infrastructure and regulations. “We believe it will unlock the full economic potential of the Cabinda Province,” said Helton.
The Cabinda port and the area’s FTZ will have the following infrastructural and economic characteristics for the private sector:
• Allow the oil and gas industry to consolidate their logistics to a central location
• Strong government support as part of the administration’s national strategy
• A strategic location with sound infrastructure
• Strong commercial viability and social returns by stimulating local economies
• Facilitating skills upgrading and increased employment
• Technology transfer
• Promoting economic diversification
• Private sector management to attract foreign investment
Reported in October 2017
Angola’s Port of Caio to commence full operations in 2019
Angola’s deep water commercial harbor Port of Caio is set to commence full operations in the first quarter of 2019. This is one year ahead of the original schedule. The construction of the deep-water port has gained momentum due to the strong support from the Government of Angola, the Ministry of Transport, the Provincial Government, and China’s Export-Import Bank.
According to Jean-Claude Bastos de Morais, a major shareholder in Port of Caio, Africa’s significant infrastructure needs an urgent address. This is through embracing the PPP model to help attract more private investment in sectors such as ports, roads, and highways.
“We look forward to exploring more developmental opportunities with governments across Africa. We will continue to play an important role in the transformation of the African economic model. Such that the economic diversification, robust economic growth, and sustainable employment all become a near-term reality providing enormous benefits for ordinary Africans,” said de Morais while praising the support of the government and private sector in this mega project.
Once fully operational, the port will boost cargo-handling capacity thereby making exports much easier and more cost-effective. The deep-water port projection is to increase trade. With at least 30 percent and create around 1,600 direct jobs for the operation. The China Road and Bridge Company (CRBC) is responsible for the construction of the facilities. Even so, the project has created thousands of jobs for ordinary Angolans.
This is a public-private partnership (PPP) and the first of its kind in Angola. Once completed, the port project will be a major trade gateway between Angola and the rest of Africa and beyond, becoming an engine for economic growth, raising living standards, and creating real economic opportunities. The port represents a transformational shift in the country’s determination to invest in long-term economic growth that positively impacts the local and national populations and the wider region.
The ideation, design, and project management of the deep-sea port began in 2007. However, within a five-year investment period, the management company (Caioporto SA) awarded a concession that included designing, financing, construction, operating, and maintenance of the Port.
Moreover, extensive feasibility studies were carried out and preliminary costs have been invested into the project to build a best-in-class deep-water port that will act as a catalyst for increasing economic prosperity for all stakeholders. Now under construction, the Port of Caio is an investment that represents a significant step-change in the country’s transport and logistics capabilities, positioning the nation as the new west-coast gateway to the African continent.
Once completed, the Port of Caio, together with the other existing ports in Angola, will redefine conventional notions of trade with Angola. The new projection is directly in line with the plans of the Government of Angola to rebuild the national infrastructure and serve as a catalyst for regional and international cooperation through the implementation of maritime, rail, road, and port transportation programs. The launch of Porto de Caio will generate significant revenues for the region. Also, it will serve as a key factor for economic development and job creation.
What you need to know about the Port of Caio
- Port of Caio is a world-class port facility.
- It is an integral part of a new infrastructure program of the Government of Angola.
- It emerged out of a public-private partnership with the pioneer company Caioporto SA, based in Angola. Caioporto SA was awarded the concession to finance, plan, design, build, and manage the Port of Caio. Under the terms and conditions agreed upon in a concession agreement prepared in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport.
Reported in Jan 2020
Construction works at Caio Deep Water Port in Angola to resume
Construction works at Caio Deep Water Port in Angola are set to resume after two years of non-activity due to a US $124m debt owed to the contracting companies. The debt was recently cleared by the Maritime and Port Institute of Angola (IMPA) to the companies Caio Porto and CRBC, paving way for the resumption of the US $800m project.
During a meeting with contracting companies, the Director General of IMPA, Nazareth Neto, insisted that the financial issue that led to the two-year stoppage was over. He also confirmed that the following steps entail the review of other invoices for the operations carried out during 2019.
On the other hand, the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Port of Cabinda, Samuel Sambo, expressed his pleasure with the resumption of the works at the Port Before the interruption the project was 45% complete, with the construction of more than 400 of the expected 775m of quays.
Caio Deep Water Port
Once fully operational, the port will boost cargo-handling capacity thereby making exports much easier and more cost-effective. The deep-water port projection is to increase trade. With at least 30 percent and create around 1,600 direct jobs for the operation. The China Road and Bridge Company (CRBC) is responsible for the construction of the facilities. Even so, the project has created thousands of jobs for ordinary Angolans.
This is a public-private partnership (PPP) and the first of its kind in Angola. Once completed, the port project will be a major trade gateway between Angola and the rest of Africa and beyond, becoming an engine for economic growth, raising living standards, and creating real economic opportunities. The port represents a transformational shift in the country’s determination to invest in long-term economic growth that positively impacts the local and national populations and the wider region.
