(Business in Cameroon) - KPMO (Kribi Port Multiple Operators), the consortium operating the Port of Kribi’s multi-purpose terminal in the framework of a delegated management contract, is outraged by the designation, last June 5, of Philippines group ICTSI (International Container Terminal Services Inc.) as the successful bidder for the concession contract on the Kribi Autonomous Port (PAK) Multi-Purpose Terminal (MPT). This consortium is constituted of nine Cameroonian-owned companies (Transimex, APM, Groupe 2M, Sapem, 3T, Camtransit, Copem, Star, Global Outsourcing).

 "KPMO takes note of the decision, but is outraged that this is done at a time when Cameroonians, with their expertise in the management of local terminals, have shown their proven skills in this key sector of the Cameroonian economy," the consortium indicated during a meeting, on June 11, in Douala.

KPMO explained that since 2018, it has been striving to make the Kribi multipurpose terminal attractive with performances reaching 1800 m³ of goods handled every day. Nonetheless, its candidature was not retained.

The consortium, which claims to have mastered the Cameroonian traffic, suggests the government should negotiate with the ICTSI to allocate a blocking minority of at least 35% to Cameroonians since the contract has not been signed yet. The aim, it explains, is to allow Cameroon to have a say in the management of the terminal and thus avoid situations where nationals had only 10% in the past.

KPMO was appointed by the port authority of Kribi, in 2018, in the framework of a delegated management contract, for a transitional period of two years. This contract ends in 2020, hence the authorization for PAK to sign a concession contract with ICTSI. The multi-purpose terminal at the port of Kribi, whose function is to receive non-containerized goods, has a nominal capacity of 1.2 million tons of products per year.

S.A.