Once completed, the new deep-water port will be able to accommodate two of the world's largest container ships simultaneously. It will relieve the port of Dakar and become a driver for economic growth in Senegal. Jan De Nul is responsible for dredging the access channel and will create an 89-hectare platform for maritime services and container storage.
Dakar at maximum capacity
The Port of Dakar is nearing its maximum capacity, and the surrounding area is fully saturated. To address this challenge, DP World—a global leader in logistics and trade and the current operator of Dakar’s container terminal—is developing a new port in Ndayane, located 50 km south of the capital. This project will significantly enhance Senegal’s container handling capacity.
Jan De Nul is responsible for the five-kilometre access channel, which will involve dredging ten million cubic metres of soil.
Dominique Bombaert, Area Manager for Senegal at Jan De Nul:
This is no easy task, as the seabed in the channel consists mainly of hard rock and the conditions in the Atlantic Ocean can be rough. You need a powerful dredger that is also large enough to continue working in challenging wave conditions. That is why we deploy our largest and most powerful cutter suction dredger, the Willem Van Rubroeck, to get the job done.
"The seabed in the Atlantic Ocean consists mainly of hard rock and the conditions can be rough. We are deploying our largest and most powerful cutter suction dredger to get the job done." - Dominique Bombaert, Area Manager for Senegal at Jan De Nul
89 hectares of reclaimed land
The dredged material will be used to reclaim an area of 89 hectares from the sea, which will serve as a terminal for container storage and maritime services. Jan De Nul has already started dredging the access channel. In total, the works are expected to take two and a half years to complete.
Once completed, the port of Ndayane will be able to simultaneously accommodate two of the world's largest container ships, making it one of the largest port in West Africa. For Senegal, this means economic growth and jobs.