(Business in Cameroon) - On September 12, 2014, concession owner of the container terminal at the port of Douala, added four new gantry cranes built by the Finnish company Konecranes, the global leader in shipping and handling machinery.

Representing “an investment of 4 billion FCFA, this equipment falls within the measures taken by DIT to ease congestion at the port of Douala,” explained the company in a release. Indeed, “these gantry cranes are going to speed-up truck and ship deliveries. They are going to make DIT more competitive, thus enabling the port of Douala to continue playing an essential role in the socio-economic development of Cameroon, Chad and the Central African Republic. With the support of the government, the National Port Authority, the Directorate General of the port of Douala and various players within the port sector, less traffic is on the way,” stated Hamadou Sali, the Chairman of the Board at DIT.

Indeed, the container terminal operator of Cameroon’s largest port has sadly been facing an unprecedented traffic jam for almost a year. “To date, the export and import occupancy levels at the container terminal are respectively 67% and 89% compared to 147% in May 2014.”

In order to improve its performance, DIT has announced that “the board meeting in April 2014 approved the purchase of a third gantry crane” which is currently in the process of being acquired.