Lobito: The Port of Lobito and the National Fuel Company (Sonangol) are set to approve a significant concession contract for port infrastructures aimed at supporting the oil industry. This approval is scheduled to take place on the 20th of this month in Lobito, Benguela Province, as learned by ANGOP on Wednesday.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the contract focuses on the Bituminous Products and Diesel and Fuel Oil Storage Plant (ANGOBETUMES) and the Oil Industry Support Terminal, which serves the Sonamet shipyard. A meeting was conducted on Monday at the Port of Lobito’s headquarters to consolidate contractual procedures, with a delegation led by Celso Rosas, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Port of Lobito, and Belarmino Chitangueleca, an administrator from Sonangol.
Additionally, representatives from the Pumangol Oil Company attended the meeting. The agreement is seen as a reinforcement of the strategic partnership between the Port of Lobito and Sonangol, aiming to enhance logistical and e
nergy development in the region, aligning with the objectives of the Angolan Government. It also seeks to boost the Lobito Corridor as a crucial transport and export route for products from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia to the Indian Ocean region.
The Port of Lobito recorded significant growth in 2024, with a movement of 1,504,074 tonnes of cargo, marking an increase of 171,659 tonnes compared to 2023, reflecting a positive variation of 12.88%. The port saw the passage of 372 vessels, 21 more than in 2023, indicating a growth of 5.98%. In terms of containerized cargo, there was an increase of 72,870.14 tons (12.8%), reaching a total of 332,948.45 tons in 2024 compared to the previous year. The movement of contents in Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) reached 23,286 TEUs, growing by 5,457 units (28.2%) from 2023’s total of 17,439 TEUs.