BII invests US$35M in DRC deepwater port

The Port of Banana will be the DRC’s first deepwater container port, improving the country’s access to global markets and unlocking its vast trading potential.

The project is part of BII’s ongoing partnership with DP World, which began with the modernisation of ports in Dakar, Sokhna, and Berbera in 2021. BII will act as a minority investor, continuing its role in transforming African port infrastructure.

“Africa has a sixth of the world’s population, but accounts for just 4 per cent of global containerised shipping volumes,” said Chris Chijiutomi, managing director and head of Africa for BII.

“Ports are vital to the long-term prosperity and wellbeing of countless people across the continent.

“The Port of Banana will play a major role in supporting the economic aspirations of millions living in DRC.”

With a draft of 17.5m, the Port of Banana will be able to accommodate large container vessels, becoming the single gateway for imports and exports of containers in the DRC.

The port’s development will see the creation of around 85,000 jobs and help cut the cost of trade in the country by 12%, increasing GDP by 0.65%.

The port is being developed in multiple phases and its capacity is expected to gradually increase over time. It will be connected to a network of additional infrastructure, including a free zone and multimodal logistics infrastructure to the country’s largest urban centres.

The development will also provide a critical trade corridor connecting the port to Kinshasa, benefitting 54 million people along its route.