To relieve the port of Dakar and its surroundings, a new port is being built in Ndayane, fifty kilometres further down the coast. Jan De Nul will dredge a five-kilometre access channel and create an 89-hectare platform for maritime services and container storage through land reclamation.
The Port of Dakar is nearing its maximum capacity, and the surrounding area is fully saturated. To address this challenge, DP World, 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.
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Jan De Nul to deploy its most powerful cutter suction dredger
Jan De Nul is responsible for the five-kilometre access channel, which will involve dredging ten million cubic metres of soil. The company has already started dredging this access channel. The company will deploy its largest and most powerful cutter suction dredger, the Willem Van Rubroeck.
Dominique Bombaert, Area Manager for Senegal at Jan De Nul: ‘This is not an 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.’
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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. 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 ports in West Africa. For Senegal, this means economic growth and jobs.
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Environmental impact study
The planning and execution of the works are being carried out with care, minimising any negative environmental impact. An extensive environmental impact study has been conducted, including research into sensitive areas such as seagrass fields. In addition, the maritime contractor monitors water quality during the execution of the project and takes the presence of marine mammals and turtles into account.
Jan De Nul is also working on a new container quay for the port of Valencia, and a new deep-water port in Georgia is in the pipeline.
Picture: The Willem Van Rubroeck, Jan De Nul’s largest and most powerful cutter suction dredger, will play a key role in the construction of a new deep-water port in Senegal (photo by Jan De Nul).
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