Proposals made to curb congestion at the port

During a press conference August 12, 2014 in Douala, the national Union of forwarders and carriers of Cameroon (Syntrac) expressed its vision about the congestion experienced at Douala port square.

According to Syntrac, this congestion on the one hand is largely due to the fact that operators of the place do not carry out the renewal of their equipment, since certain activities have been granted.

"Despite a specification, the wood yard did not undergo investments or developments. They still have old cranes, as well as the container park. They fail to deliver containers, but there are however some traders who are accused of taking the park for a store," says Fouda Fouda Gallus, president of Syntrac.

On this issue, the society for the Exploitation of wood parks in Cameroon (Sepbc) for example, revealed to have acquired new material handling equipment (4 Chargers, 4 elevators, 6 tractors, 1 trailer, 1 plate). "More acquisitions are planned in the coming months and we are looking for a dock crane. Additional storage spaces were also created", said a source at the Sepbc.

On the other hand, for the Syntrac, the port congestion benefits some operators, who "get rich" on the back of exporters and importers from fees due to the lengthening of the parking lot of the goods. "I think that it is done on purpose to make some other persons rich.

After 11 days of franchise demurrage are estimated 27,000 per day on each container. Therefore these port officials and all major groups of the port enjoy and maintain congestion so as to collect these charges”, Fouda Fouda Gallus noted. The Syntrac, therefore, requests the cancellation of these taxes imposed on traders.

Ultimately, Syntrac offers especially in the management of the wood, the creation of a dry port on at Dibamba. "We met the Sanaga-maritime authorities who promised us 15 ha of land. Thus logs will leave from there only when it will be ready to be loaded", says Fouda Fouda Gallus.