YAOUNDE, Cameroon—Final preparations are being made for the formal opening in June of Cameroon’s deep-water port of Kribi that will play a key role in the export of iron ore and aluminum to international markets. The port on the Gulf of Guinea will also act as a regional hub for the export of commodities from landlocked Chad, the Central African Republic and the Republic of Congo. The world’s largest cargo ships, known as Capesize, will be able to operate out of this port. “Work on the port is nearing completion, as the commercial operation of the port is expected to begin in June. We just bought two tugs from China to ease traffic and help bring troubled ships ashore for repairs and equally help offloading cargoes,” said the project’s coordinator Patrice Barthelemy Melom. Mr. Melom said the tugs are powerful enough to tow even the largest ships using the port. They were supplied last month by the Chinese government. Two terminals at Cameroon’s Kribi Industrial Port Complex will be ready for its first ships by June, a top official managing the project said. The deap-water port, which was begun in 2012, has cost an estimated 500 billion CFA francs ($1 billion). Eximbank China provided 85% of the finance with the remaining 15% coming from the Cameroon government. The construction has been undertaken by theChina Harbour Engineering1800.HK 0.00% Company. *Source wsj]]>
