The Mauritius port's container handling capacity is expected to grow by 60 percent in 2007 after two new cranes become operational, a top port official said on Tuesday.
Shekur Suntah, acting director-general of Mauritius Ports Authority - a parastatal organisation - said container handling capacity will grow 60 percent this year to an annual 550,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit) after two new cranes become operational.
Container traffic at the port grew 5 percent in 2006 to 266,425 TEUs from 253,772 the year before, according to port statistics. The port - which handles 99 percent of imports and exports - expects to spend 4.1 billion Mauritius rupees ($126.8 million) on capital projects over the next five years, he said.
"We believe it can go up to 15-20 billion rupees over the next 10 to 15 years," Suntah told Reuters. "Half of those projects will require international contractors." An Indian Ocean location and some of sub-Saharan Africa's deepest berths put Port Louis in a good position to capture more of the growing trade between Africa and China, port officials say. Suntah said the plan was to improve the port's container handling and facilities for cruise ships and the fishing industry.
Suffering a triple shock of higher oil prices and the loss of preferential trade deals on its key sugar and textile industries, the Indian Ocean island views tourism and seafood as key sources of growth for its roughly $6 billion economy. Development plans include a new fishing port on 30 hectares of reclaimed land, a cruise terminal, a waterfront park and increased yachting facilities.
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