(Business in Cameroon) - The distribution of the volume of goods handled by the container terminal of the port of Douala showed that 80% are domestic, while only 20% go to Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR). This was revealed by Frederik Klinke (photo), Managing Director of Douala International Terminal (DIT), a company controlled by Bolloré-APM Terminals, during an interview with Défis Actuels.

According to him, this figure which reflects a decrease in volumes to the two hinterland countries is the result of a decline in the prices of oil and other commodities during 2015 and 2016, across the entire CEMAC region.

Yet, overall import-export activities of CAR and Chadian economic operators have been declining on the Douala port platform in recent years. A decline by more than 50% has been observed, according to the managers of the Port Autonome de Douala (PAD), the public company in charge of the port management. They explained that many Central African and Chadian economic operators have redirected activities to the ports of Cotonou (Benin) and Port Sudan (Sudan), due to the hassles at the port of Douala and on the Douala-N'djamena and Douala-Bangui corridors.

BRM