On 16 August 2024, the port of Douala enthusiastically welcomed the return of the dredger Chantal BIYA, freshly refurbished after more than two years of repairs in Nigeria. This major event for Cameroon’s maritime sector was marked by an official reception ceremony, presided over by Mr Cyrus NGO’O, Director General of the Port Autonome de Douala (PAD).
The ceremony was attended by a number of leading figures, including Mr EBOUPEKE Louis, Director General of the National Port Authority (APN), and Mr Auguste MBAPPE PENDA, Director General of the Cameroon National Shippers’ Council (CNSC). All the guests welcomed the PAD’s initiative and celebrated the return of the Chantal Biya dredger, considered to be Cameroon’s flagship port.
In his speech, Mr Cyrus NGO’O underlined the importance of this return for the policy of autonomising dredging work in the port of Douala. He made a personal commitment to ensure the maintenance of this equipment, which is crucial to port activities.
Mr Auguste MBAPPE PENDA, for his part, highlighted the economic benefits of this return, stating that ‘the Chantal BIYA dredger will strengthen foreign trade and ensure greater competitiveness for the port of Douala’.
The Chantal Biya dredger is equipped with versatile features for handling and cleaning sediments in the river bed of the Wouri, and is considered to be a high-performance machine in view of its characteristics.
