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2.1.1 Democratic Republic of Congo Port of Matadi

Port OverviewPort PictureDescription and Contacts of Key CompaniesPort PerformanceBerthing SpecificationsGeneral Cargo Handling BerthsPort Handling EquipmentContainer Facilities  Customs GuidanceTerminal Information

Multipurpose TerminalGrain and Bulk HandlingMain Storage Terminal

StevedoringHinterland InformationPort Security

Key port information can also be found at: Website of the Maritime Database on Port of Matadi

Port Overview

Matadi Port is the most important maritime port of DRC with 90% maritime traffic (not including oil tankers). It has a handling capacity of 2,500,000 metric tons of cargo per year.

Matadi Port has started upgrading its installation according to ISPS code. The port is connected with Kinshasa by railroad.

The port is 1,610 meters long and equipped with 10 quays, this may allow “parking” of ten big ships at the same time.  

 

Port Location and Contacts

Country The Democratic Republic of Congo

Province or District Bas Congo, Matadi

Town or City (Closest location) with Distance (km) Name: Matadi

km: n/a

Port's Complete Name Port de Matadi

Latitude -5.826111

Longitude 13.46917

Managing Company or Port Authority SCTP (Société Commerciale des Transports et des ports)

Management Contact Person J.P DIKENDA NZOLAMESO, Directeur du Département+243(0)819050580, jpdikenda@yahoo.fr

Closest Airport and Frequent Airlines to / from International Destinations Airport Name: n/a

Airlines: n/a

Port Picture

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Description and Contacts of Key Companies

Most of the companies operating at Matadi Port are customs clearance agents and road transporters.

One of them:

G.T.M.: Alex MUKOLE, Chef d’Agence, +243991002524 / +243998530131 / +243898338920, , , website: amukole@gtmdrc.com alexmukole@yahoo.fr www.gtmdrc.com

4.4 Democratic Republic of Congo Port and Waterways Company Contact List

Port Performance

The Port of Matadi is physically hampered by its handling equipment.  Almost all of the rail mounted shore cranes are not operational and the remaining few functioning cranes are in an extremely fragile condition.  Therefore, vessels wishing to call the port should carry their own cargo gear. The Matadi Port has recently put into service two Gantry cranes of 40T increasing its ability to stack containers and store a total of 6,700 TEUs.

The surrounding terrain at Matadi has limited the draft of vessels. Permissible draft for navigating the Congo River varies from time to time ranging between 19 ft and 22 ft. There are times when the draft on the Congo River has been reduced to 19 ft. / 5.80 meters and should be checked with the port authority in advance. During the rainy season the draft decreases and reaches from 19 ft to 20 ft. This reduction is due to the increase of sand in Mateba Island, which is on the way through Matadi Port. The decrease in the draft of the Congo River is one of the many reasons for the Matadi Port's congestion and results in river traffic suspension and berthing delays. The other reason for congestion is the fact that only 4 vessels can berth at a time in Matadi forcing other vessels to wait at Boma Port until completion of discharge and recharge.

This leads to a long queue at the transhipment port of Pointe Noire in the Republic of Congo. Slowdowns and delays as a result of the long waiting times before arriving at the port of Matadi can last up to 14 days instead of 2-3 days under normal circumstances. There is no formal priority establishment for humanitarian cargo per se. However, due to the very nature of the humanitarian activities, all cargo shipments are subject to preferential treatment at Matadi Port upon provision of all required documentation.

 

Seasonal Constraints Yes / No From <month> to <month>

Rainy Season Yes November to March

Major Import Campaigns n/a n/a

Other n/a n/a

Handling Figures Year: 2014

Vessel Calls 408

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Container Traffic (TEUs) 73,265

Handling Figures Bulk and Break Bulk Year: 2014

Bulk (MT) 2,911,379

Break bulk (MT) same as above

Berthing Specifications

Port of Matadi berthing specifications

Type of Berth Quantity Length (m) Maximum Draft (m)

Conventional Berth 4 berths (berth 1, berth 2, berth 3, berth 4)

Berths 1 & 2 are under renovation now

Berth 4: 156 6.25 m max

Container Berth 3 berths (Berth 5, Berth 6, Berth 7) Berth 5: 156

Berth 6: 176

Berth 7: 188

6.25 m max

Mix conventional & container 3 berths (berth 8, berth 9, berth 10) Berth 8: 149

Berth 9: 167

Berth 10: 143

6.25 m max

Silo Berth 11 n/a n/a

Berthing Tugs 3    

Water Barges 14

 

The Silo Berth was created by the country’s largest flour milling company, Minoterie de Matadi (Midema) by refurbishing an unused part of the port in order to create an eleventh berth and free up one of the 10 original port berths for other vessels. 

General Cargo Handling Berths

Cargo Type Berth Identification

Imports - Bagged Cargo 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

Exports - Bagged Cargo 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

Imports and Exports - RoRo  1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 (no vehicle export activities)

Other Imports 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

Average quay activity (2014/2015):

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Port Handling Equipment

The Matadi Port equipment has been managed by a government funded company called SCTP (Société Générale des Transports et des Ports) since 2010.

Dockside crane, Container gantries and reach stacker are available.

Equipment Available

(Yes /

No)

Total Quantity and Capacity Available Comments on Current Condition and Actual Usage

Dockside Crane Yes 35 of 5 to 7 tons Most of them are not in good working condition

Container Gantries

Yes 3 lifting 45 tons each Serviceable with frequent breakdowns

Mobile Cranes No n/a n/a

Reachstacker Yes 14 (45 tons capacity each) 10 belongs to the port and 4 are private

RoRo Tugmaster (w/

Trailer)

No n/a n/a

Grain Elevator w/

Bagging Machines

Yes Available at the Silo berth in use by the flour milling company, Minoterie de Matadi (Midema)

n/a

Transtrainer No n/a n/a

Forklifts Yes 32 (25 units lifting 2 to 5 tons, 7 units lifting 7 to 16 tons) Not all of them are on duty

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The reefer yard                                                          The silos of Midema, connected to quay 11.

Container Facilities  

Facilities 20 ft 40 ft

Container Facilities Available Yes Yes

Container Freight Station (CFS) Yes Yes

Refrigerated Container Stations Yes Yes

Other Capacity Details  

Daily Take Off Capacity (Containers per day) 240

Number of Reefer Stations (connection points) 440

Emergency Take-off Capacity (Give an indication) n/a

Off take capacity of gang shift (in Containers per shift) n/a n/a

 

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The container yard 1 (facing quay 5,6,7) can host 3,500 containers.

There is another container yard behind warehouses 7,8,9. There is also one for empty containers on the most upstream part of the port, but the capacity is unknown. 

Customs Guidance

1.3 Democratic Republic of Congo Customs Information

Terminal Information

Multipurpose Terminal

The Matadi Port terminal is a multipurpose terminal allowing the handling of container, break bulk cargo, bagging and timber logs. 

Grain and Bulk Handling

Grain and Bulk Handling are done at Berth 11 by the flour milling company, Minoterie de Matadi (Midema)

Main Storage Terminal

There are 8 warehouses for conventional cargo with a capacity of 8 to 10,000 T per warehouse.

The container terminal has a capacity of 60,000 m and 6,200 TEUs.2

The General cargo storage yard has a capacity of 40,000 m2.

Storage Type Number of Storage Facilities Area (square meters)

Bagged Cargo 1 40,000 m2

Refrigerated Cargo 1 same as above

General Cargo 1 same as above

Stevedoring

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The Governement owned company SCTP is the only stevedoring company in the Port of Matadi

ETA for Vessel has to be confirmed 24 hours prior to arrival to allow for gangs of workmen arrangements.The Port of Matadi has 3 working shifts which are as follows :

1st shift from 06.30 to 14.30 hrs2nd shift from 14.30 to 22.30 hrs3rd shift from 22.30 to 06.30 hrsNormal working hours run from 06.30 to 14.30 from Monday to Saturday.Overtimes from 14.30 to 06.30 hrs from Monday to Saturday and 24.00 on Sundays and Bank holidays.Number of gangs per ship: depends on number of ship’s holds, available winchmen and dockers.Working days per week: the port works 24/24.00 hrs (Sundays and Bank holidays included).Insufficient trucking capacity prevent bagged cargoes from being transferred from berth to warehouse.Private trucks are to be arranged at the cost of $300 per shift of 8 hours to ensure a good rate of discharging. Discharging of bagged cement is subject to prior arrangement by Port services and customs to allow for a direct offload onto trucks. This requires the customs formalities for cement to be completed prior to the arrival of the vessel. Failure to do so may result in the refusal of berth allocation (Source: Clearing agent)

STEVEDORING COSTS:

Conventional cargoes euros/ton

Cement 12.00 

Salt 12.00

Sugar 16.00

Flour 16.00

Rice 17.00

Frozen fish 18.70

Meat 18.70

Chicken 23.60

Others (break bulks) 19.00 

Vehicles 40 

Other  

Containers: 57 euros/20’ empty

65,5 euros/40’ empty

114 euros/20’ full

171 euros/40’ full

Hinterland Information

The Matadi Port is connected with Kinshasa by railroad.  A detailed assessment on the railroad can be found in 2.4 Democratic Republic of Congo . Matadi Port is the terminal of the 366 kmlong railway that links the two towns.Railway Assessment

Matadi Port can also be reached by a 355 km paved road linking Kinshasa to Matadi. A detailed assessment of the road can be found in 2.3 Democratic .Republic of Congo Road Network

Port Security

Security

ISPS Compliant

(Yes / No)

Yes

Current ISPS Level 1 Level 1 = Normal, Level 2 = Heightened, Level 3 = Exceptional

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Police Boats Yes

Fire Engines Yes