Soyo - The financing of the country's port infrastructures, using public and private partnerships, on Tuesday in the city of Soyo, Zaire Province, was defended by the president of the Angolan Ports Association (APANG), Manuel Nazareth Neto.
Speaking at the opening of the 5th Roundtable of this organisation created in January 2015, the official foresaw advantages in adopting this model, from the point of view of the efficiency of port companies and the sharing of costs and financing risks.
He said that national cabotage plays a fundamental role in making the transport sector more sustainable, catalysing the economic fabric, the competitiveness of companies, the mobility of citizens and regional integration.
In this context, he mentioned the success achieved by Cabotagem Norte, which covers the Luanda/Soyo/Cabinda routes and vice versa, since the operationalisation of the Soyo River Passenger and Cargo Terminal in April 2022 and the entry into operation of the Cabinda Maritime Passenger Terminal.
He called for works to be carried out to relaunch the Southern Cabotage, considering that in the past it was one of the most robust in the country and contributed to Angola's economy.
The president of APANG argued that this endeavour depends on three fundamental factors, namely the existing port infrastructures, the transport vessels and the volumes of cargo available in the southern region, adding that the expansion of cabotage in the southern region would be preceded by a feasibility study by the operator Secil Marítima.
On the other hand, he considered it essential to efficiently develop an intermodal freight transport network in the country, strictly observing the conventions, laws and rules that regulate maritime and port activity.
The 5th Roundtable, with the participation of experts from the country's maritime and port sectors, is being held under the slogan "National Cabotage and its impact on the economy", and is debating various topics linked to the regulatory framework for National Cabotage, Northern Cabotage, the current situation and prospects.
The event continues on Thursday and Friday, in the city of Cabinda, with approaches to Southern Cabotage.
Cabotage is the transport of goods or passengers between two ports or places in the same country.
PMV/JL/MRA/jmc
