Transport
From The Report: Gabon 2014
View in Online Reader

Transport and logistics in Gabon are in the midst of a major transformation. The government is engaged in a multi-year programme to upgrade the country’s infrastructure, with the aim of making it into a logistics centre for the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa.

Gabon’s transport infrastructure is set for a radical overhaul in coming years. A major state investment programme for roads will see the total length of paved roads in the country increase six-fold between 2009 and 2025, including a link between Libreville and Port-Gentil. This should help open up the interior of the country and boost socioeconomic development in previously isolated areas. Expansion projects at Owendo port should also help reduce congestion and hence costs for shippers, and airport capacity in the country’s main cities is set to increase dramatically, allowing international flights to operate out of Port-Gentil.

This chapter contains interviews with Takao Omori, CEO, Portek International; and Frank Legré, Managing Director for Africa, Air France.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

A host of infrastructure projects are aimed at boosting connectivity
OBG
plus

Transport and logistics in Gabon are in the midst of a major transformation. The condition and availability of infrastructure have long been a stumbling block – in particular, the shortage of paved roads, which in effect cuts off much of the country’s interior from the capital and other key cities, especially during the rainy season. Congestion at its ports, too, has been a problem for many years, driving up the cost of trade, and in various international rankings Gabon performs poorly for the…

Analysis

Paving the way: New road projects are under construction
OBG
plus

The nation’s road transport network is suffering from a lack of paved roads, inadequate water drainage infrastructure and damage from heavy vehicles. Respondents to the World Economic Forum’s 2013-14 “Global Competitiveness Report” ranked the country’s road infrastructure in 140th place out of 149 countries, on a score of 2.3 out of 7. With the government now focused on transport infrastructure, coming years should see dramatic improvements. Development Programme In 2002 the government…

Analysis

Upgrades at ports can improve logistics performance
OBG
plus

Authorities in Gabon have acknowledged the problems facing transport infrastructure, and international pressure is leading to local action. The country’s results in the World Economic Forum’s 2013-14 “Global Competitiveness Report” were disappointing, with Gabon taking 133rd place out of 149 countries, on a score of 2.7 out of 7. The minister of transport, Paulette Mengué M’Owono, told a conference organised by the Bureau of Ports and Harbours of Gabon (Office des Ports et Rades du Gabon,…

Analysis

Bussing about: New fleet to ease transit in urban areas
OBG
plus

With the recent arrival of a fleet of new buses, Gabon’s capital city of Libreville is set for a welcome relief to the traffic congestion that clogs its main thoroughfares. To maximise efficiency, the country’s transport authority is in the planning stages of widening streets and dedicating a special bus lane on main routes. Meanwhile, the authority has ordered 100 metered taxis, which are currently being rolled out across the city. As more than a third of the country’s 1.6m people live in…

Interview

OBG talks to Takao Omori, CEO, Portek International
OBG
plus

Interview:Takao Omori To what extent do West and Central Africa need improved port infrastructure? TAKAO OMORI: The West African network is one of the most in need of regional trans-shipment centres, with Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria both offering possibilities. The West African market could also contain the Central African regions, which might be serviced by hubs at Pointe-Noire, for instance. However, Tanger Med, which is a major transfer centre that covers north-south and east-west trade,…

Interview

OBG talks to Takao Omori, CEO, Portek International
OBG
plus

Interview:Takao Omori To what extent do West and Central Africa need improved port infrastructure? TAKAO OMORI: The West African network is one of the most in need of regional trans-shipment centres, with Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria both offering possibilities. The West African market could also contain the Central African regions, which might be serviced by hubs at Pointe-Noire, for instance. However, Tanger Med, which is a major transfer centre that covers north-south and east-west trade,…

Interview

New heights: OBG talks to Frank Legré, Managing Director for Africa, Air France
OBG
plus

Interview:Frank Legré What are the main constraints that airlines have to overcome in Africa? FRANK LEGRÉ: The first major constraint concerns the cost of operating on the whole continent, which is eventually transferred to the price of tickets, a fact that can sometimes be hard for customers to understand. Other factors, such as the costs associated with fuel, ground-handling companies, equipment accommodation – which is significantly higher than in Europe – and certain safety measures,…