Port de Pointe Noire's "Priority Investment Programme" is a EUR 128 million package of works which includes reconstruction of quays, extension of the dyke, dredging, water and electricity works, acquisition of tug boats and patrol boats. This public programme is complemented by a more than EUR 200 million investment programme of the private concessionaire for the container terminal (transhipment platform, handling equipment). This comprehensive programme aims at enabling the Port to increase traffic by accommodating larger and deeper vessels and by increasing handling and storage capacities. The EUR 128 million public investment programme is financed by long term loans from the European Investment Bank (EIB), Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Banque de Développement des États de l’Afrique Centrale (BDEAC) and through self-financing by the Port Autonome de Pointe Noire (PAPN). All the works were completed in May 2014. Traffic has increased by 45% since 2008 (8.6 million tons in 2014 vs 5.9 million in 2008) and container traffic has more than doubled (620 thousand twenty-foot equivalent units in 2014 vs 266 thousand in 2008).
All construction works are now completed. The works undertaken by the Concessionaire to expand the handling area are on-going. 100% of the AFD loan and 90% of the EIB loan have been disbursed.
The EU-AITF IRS grant has been used by AFD to reduce the interest rate of its EUR 29 million loan. This loan is mainly used for the financing of the rehabilitation works: construction of protective berm, extension of the external breakwater, rehabilitation and extension of quays and dredging works. The loan contract between PAPN and AFD was signed on 26 March 2009 and amended on 22 July 2011. At the end of June 2016, 100% of the AFD loan and 90% of the EIB loan had been disbursed.