Financial closing was reached of the Nouakchott port project, the first-time PPP project in Mauritania earlier this month. This USD 310 million Project aims at building and operating a new container terminal in order to improve significantly the capacity and operations of the port of Nouakchott, under a 30-year concession agreement.

The project was awarded to ARISE Mauritania, a joint-venture between ARISE (Olam group affiliate) and Meridiam was awarded by the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.

According to this partnership, ARISE Mauritania will design, build, finance and operate a new container terminal (initial capacity of 250,000 TEUs, with a possibility to expand to 600,000 TEUs at a later stage) able to accommodate 2 panamax size vessels up to 50,000 DWT capacity.

The project includes the construction of a new wharf (14.5m depth, 570m length), a 25 Ha storage area for exports & imports and associated port services.

The new state of the art terminal will be equipped with advanced equipment to increase the handling capacity of the port.

The Project will directly contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and especially Goal #9 (build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization), Goal #8 (promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth), Goal#14 (sustainably use the oceans) and Goal#17 (implement a partnership for sustainable development of port activities with the local authorities).