China Harbour Engineering Co (CHEC) has signed a contract worth $774 million to upgrade a port in Guinea, one of the largest ports in West Africa, a company spokesman confirmed on Sunday.
CHEC is a subsidiary of China Communications Construction Co, which is based in the Chinese mainland. Under the contract, CHEC will undertake construction for an extension to a wharf in the Port of Conakry, the Guinean capital, as well as roads, parking lots and other infrastructure there, according to an article CHEC spokesman Xiang Nan sent to the Global Times.
Xiang said that signing of the contract is just the first step. Fundraising will now begin for the project, and there has been no specific starting date set for construction.
The Port of Conakry is the only channel for containerized cargo, oil products, food, and other goods in and out of Guinea, according to the article. The port also handles most of the goods shipped into some neighboring West African countries, such as Mali, media reports said.
However, the port faces problems such as limited capacity and backward infrastructure, which are not conducive to regional economic development, a statement on the CHEC website said.
The project will significantly increase the port's capacity and make major contributions to the Guinean economy, the statement said, noting that the project will directly and indirectly provide 1,500 job opportunities for Guinean workers.
The project will also help CHEC consolidate its presence in the Guinean transport infrastructure construction sector and build a firm foundation for the company's long-term development in West Africa.
