Port of Antwerp solidifies position in West Africa with Gambia agreement

Gambian President Adama Barrow visited the Port of Antwerp, where an agreement was signed between the Port and Gambia Ports Authority, on Thursday 24 May, involving training and consulting. This agreement highlights the port of Antwerp’s position in West Africa.

Under the terms of this agreement the port of Antwerp will play an advisory role, while the two sides will examine how the ports can cooperate more closely in future. Antwerp has the highest number of direct services to West Africa, resulting in a market share of nearly 50%.

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Port alderman Marc Van Peel who is also chairman of PAI, stated:

We are very pleased with this closer collaboration with The Gambia. With our subsidiaries APEC and PAI we have long sought to pass on our know-how and experience so as to further develop the worldwide network of our own port. West Africa is a very important region for us, and it is our ambition to further strengthen our position there. A good example of this is the collaboration with Benin to modernise the port of Cotonou, which opted to entrust us with the whole management of the port for a limited period.”

With its maritime training centre APEC the port of Antwerp has a institute to provides tailor-made training courses. APEC has been training maritime professionals from all over the world since 1977.

This collaboration will extend this process, and plans to create a training for the dock workers locally in The Gambia. The collaboration also gives emphasis to the ambition of PAI to further develop its  position in West Africa.