These developments, he said, are aimed at enhancing efficiency at the Port and ensure that the Port of Banjul remains relevant in an ever-increasingly competitive port environment.
Speaking at the government’s periodic press conference held at the Sir Dawda Conference Centre, Jobarteh revealed that based on the agreement, “phase one will be delivered within six years. Thereafter, the activity will be transferred from Banjul to Sanyang.
He disclosed that the concession agreement in Sanyang is for a period of 30 years, “The main highlights of this concession agreement are that the government will retain all of the fixed assets of the GPA. The investor is also required and committed to do all the financial resources that are required to realise this infrastructure improvement.”
“There is no investment or financial contribution from the government,” he said. However, he was quick to add that The Gambia government holds 20% equity in the venture.
Speaking on the bidding process, he explained: “When the bidding was announced, 10 international companies showed interest. However, three of the companies were retained as the most responsive bidders.”
The three companies, he explained, were: Resi Gateway Terminals of Saudi Arabia, Yilport of Turkey and Al-Barak also of Turkey.
Jobarteh further added: “Albarak Company were invited given the fact that they accepted the government’s condition and proposal. Subsequently, they were invited to submit a commercial proposal with a view to consider how they intended to go about with the deep-sea port in Sanyang.”
“As a result of this development, Albarak submitted its proposal in November 2023 and a Maritime Transport Business Solutions – the transaction Advisory Firm which was recruited by the GPA, was also called in order to assist the government in preparing a review of the commercial proposal with the desire of having terms with Albarak.”
“So, what the advisory firm did with GPA was to look at the concession agreement in terms of the pre-negotiation and the commercial elements that Albarak is proposing alongside the financing of the investment that is required in Sanyang.”
The main highlights of this concession agreement, he added, “are to allow the investor to commit minimal investment in Banjul, and operate and manage the Port of Banjul over a period of six years,” he postulated.
During this period, he said, “further investigation in terms of location, geo-technical studies in order to determine the type of design and infrastructure that is to be constructed in Sanyang will be conducted during Phase one of the project.”
Giving a background on the concession, Jobarteh said, “The Port of Banjul first conceived the expansion programme in 1994.” That, he said, was when a master plan was prepared to look at the capacity improvement needs that are required to handle business in an efficient manner at the Port of Banjul.”
During that time, he continued, “the master plan couldn’t be implemented due to the funding that was required.”
A new master plan, he said, was again commissioned in 2002 which was later updated in 2008, adding: “by the time the new government came in to power in 2017, the infrastructure improvement couldn’t still be realised.”
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