Construction kicks off at new $1.2b port in Senegal

The arrival of the dredger Willem Van Rubroeck in Ndayane this month marks the start of maritime works for the $1.2 billion Port of Ndayane.

The vessel will dredge a five-kilometre-long shipping channel capable of accommodating the world’s largest container ships, an essential step in building this high-capacity port designed to elevate Senegal’s trade infrastructure.

Phase 1 of the project includes an 840-metre quay to create the capacity to handle 1.2 million TEU annually. Phase 2 will add a further 410-metre quay.

Operator DP World said that while the Port of Dakar has grown from handling 300,000 TEU in 2008 to 800,000 TEU in 2023, the port’s location within a densely urbanised area limits expansion, making Ndayane a strategic solution to support Senegal’s long-term trade and economic growth ambitions.

"Our plans extend beyond the port," said DP World Group Chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem. "We will develop an economic zone near the port and Blaise Diagne International Airport, which is expected to create even more employment than the port itself."

DP World is collaborating with British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance agency, to deliver the project. BII estimates the port boost Senegal’s GDP by three per cent through increased trade flows, potentially adding $15 billion in trade value by 2035.