Yilport strikes first African terminal deal

The ports and terminals operator has established a joint venture, Yilport Takoradi Port Management Company with Ibis Tek on a 70/30 basis to invest in and operate the port, increasing its annual throughput to 2.25 million teu.

“Takoradi Port will be Yilport’s first step into the African continent, and it will be a gemstone in our vision to rank among the top 10 global container terminal operators by 2030,” said Robert Yuksel Yildirim, chair and chief executive of Yilport Holding.

Takoradi Port is located in the western region of Ghana on the most cost-effective route to and from Burkina Faso, Mali, Chad, and Niger.

“Takoradi Port has a great potential to serve the African and Atlantic marine trade,” said Robert Yuksel Yildirim.

Among the improvements planned – costing over US$700 million – are multipurpose berths with around 20 million tonnes annual handling capacity, new access roads, gates facilities and a tank farm capable of handling 2.5 million tonnes of liquid product per year.

Yilport will also expand the total length of the berths to 2.5 kilometres and deepen the draft to between 14 and 16.5 metres.