Amidst Concern of Congestion ‘Wata’ Quay… Banana Island Ports Becomes Imperative

Over the past three weeks, there have been ceaseless reports of congestion at Sierra Leone’s main ports, the Queen Elizabeth the Second Port (Wata Quay). This has created a serious challenge for importers as it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to move their goods and products from the ports.
The Queen Elizabeth Ports is now a concession Ports with the Sierra Leone Ports Authority serving as Land Lord while most of its operation is being run by private players. As such, it now has Freetown Terminal managing the container section and Nectar is doing the non containerized cargo terminal.
Few years ago, Bollore fully completed work on the 270 meter container terminal extension at the quay, claiming that they spent $120M on the expansion which they say was in line with government aspiration. It was the anticipation of government that such expansion at the port will enhance the Sierra Leone Port to attract bigger vessels but that is not the case
It is true that the container terminal was expanded to enhance more containers in the Port but as it is the Freetown Port does not attract bigger vessels. There are vessels that find it very difficult to berth in the Freetown Port because of lack of space and some will have to go Liberia and come back they will still have no space. As such, most of them will dump containers and goods meant for Freetown in Ivory Coast.
This situation according to the General Manage of Sierra Leone Ports Authority on local media is because of increase in consignments and not because the Port is small. The importers have expressed serious concern with the cost and time in bringing in goods which they say is time consuming and for perishable goods, they got spoilt by the time they reach the market.
It was also made known that Guinea is using the Sierra Leone Ports to imports some of its goods and produces. This situation has created the opportunity for Sierra Leone to think innovatively
Notwithstanding, a Sierra Leone business man Mohamed Gento Kamara started his port even before this whole congestion became apparent. Mohamed Gento Kamara is a philanthropist and business man. He has contract for several records and he is on record of designing and built the Hill Cut- Hill Station Road and others.
The ingenuity of Gento to consider building not just a port but a transshipment hub that will be the deepest port in Africa after the 18 meter depth port in Morocco is one that has received praises. The proposed Banana Island Port will be 20-22 Meter depth port, meaning it will attract larger vessel and will make Freetown a transshipment hub.
The agreement for the Banana Island Port received the Parliamentary ratification for which government also promised to support the Port with $20M dollar while Gento is also looking for private sector investment to construct the Port.
Investment Analysts have described the proposed Banana Island Port as a game changer that will transform the socio-economic development of Sierra Leone as well as making Sierra Leone the business hub of not just the Mano River Union but West Africa, owing to the fact that country is very close to America by sea.
“Small countries become great with major infrastructure development to leverage its potential. This is what countries like Singapore did and this could be the same for Banana Island Port if Government and Sierra Leoneans support it,” a development expert affirmed.
From the all indication, the Banana Island Port which has been described as a game changer and with the associated problem of congestion at the Queen Elizabeth Quay Port is very crucial for Sierra Leone’s economic transformation.