DP World said that maritime works have commenced on the $1.2 billion Port of Ndayane in Senegal, which will advance the African nation’s trade infrastructure.

The Willem Van Rubroeck vessel will dredge a 5-km-long shipping channel, an essential step in building the high-capacity port, the Dubai-based ports operator said in a statement on Wednesday.

The project’s first phase includes an 840-metre quay and a 5-km channel capable of accommodating the world’s largest container ships. The phase will have a capacity to handle 1.2 million TEUs annually. 

The second phase will add a 410-metre quay, positioning Ndayane as a top logistics hub in West Africa.

DP World is collaborating with British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance agency, to deliver the project. 

BII estimates the port will boost Senegal’s GDP by 3 percent through increased trade flows, potentially adding $15 billion in trade value by 2035. The project is expected to create over 1,800 jobs during construction and support 2.3 million jobs across Senegal once operational, including 22,000 linked directly to expanded trade.

DP World plans to develop an economic zone near the Ndayane port and Blaise Diagne International Airport, added Group Chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem.

(Editing by Anoop Menon) (anoop.menon@lseg.com)

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