(Business in Cameroon) - Since 2014, Camrail’s freight transport has been increasingly weakening, according to MD Pascal Miny. “Freight transport is now less profitable than before and demands much more investments,” he said speaking during a press conference held April 15 in Douala to commemorate 20 years of Camrail.

The company attributes the decline in activity to the strong economic slowdown in Chad which happened at the end of 2014 due to fall in world oil prices. Subsequently, sources said, between 2015 and 2018 Camrail lost about 50% of the Chadian freight transport (mainly hydrocarbons). Chadian market accounted for 35% of the company’s freight portfolio, according to Sales Manager Mesmin Tchoua. Further, the company is facing stiff challenge from road carriers who offer lower prices ; a situation that forces Camrail to often review its tariffs downward and seek new markets. New markets include CAR where Camrail plans to get 10% of market shares this year.

Another reason for weaker activity over the period reviewed is the attractiveness problems at the port of Douala (extended transit time for goods, congestion in the port area, etc.), Cameroon's main port platform, as well as hassles experienced on the Douala-Ndjamena and Douala-Bangui corridors.

As a result, many economic operators mainly Chadian and Central African operators now resort to the ports of Sudan or Benin. Since 2014, the volume of goods transported on Cameroonian corridors has been reduced by 600,000 tons, causing port operators and carriers an estimated loss of nearly XAF200 billion.

Figures were revealed July 11, 2018 in Douala by Cyrus Ngo'o, MD of the Douala Port Authority (PAD) during a three-day seminar on the implementation of the recommendations of the 2nd Cameroon-Chad-RCA Tripartite Forum on Port Issues.

Brice R. Mbodiam