Angola’s Minister of Transport on Tuesday defended continued investment in the modernization of the Port of Luanda, which recorded a 23% increase in ship traffic through September 2025, describing the disclosure of the costs of three projects inaugurated on Tuesday as “irrelevant.”
Ricardo de Abreu inaugurated an electrical substation, a 15-storey innovation and technological development building, and a coastal shipping terminal, all part of the Port of Luanda’s modernization programme.
The minister declined to disclose the total investment value of the three projects, describing the issue as “irrelevant,” and said the Port of Luanda is entering a new phase.
“A phase in which the growth of port activities will be accompanied by strategic investments in energy, innovation and logistics integration, creating the conditions needed to meet the demands of a more dynamic, diversified and increasingly integrated economy within regional and international markets,” he said.
According to the minister, the newly inaugurated facilities “represent far more than the completion of construction projects or the delivery of new infrastructure. They demonstrate the ability to anticipate challenges, improve operational efficiency and prepare the country’s main port for a new generation of logistics services.”
He noted that operational results achieved in recent years show that the transformation of the Port of Luanda is well underway. Through September 2025, the port recorded a 23% increase in vessel traffic, handled approximately 294,000 containers, increased vehicle handling by 59%, and surpassed one million tonnes of cargo handled during the third quarter of 2025 alone, “confirming its central role in national supply chains and in the country’s economic activity.”
Ricardo de Abreu said the public infrastructure continues to establish itself as one of the region’s leading logistics platforms while strengthening its commitment to innovation, sustainability and workforce development.
According to the minister, these indicators confirm the Port of Luanda’s growing importance for both Angola and the wider region and “fully justify continued investment in its modernization and expansion.”
“Economic growth requires responsiveness. It requires resilient infrastructure, smarter systems and logistics solutions capable of meeting the needs of businesses and citizens,” he stressed.
Abreu also highlighted the significance of the three newly inaugurated projects, noting that the electrical substation represents a strategic investment in the security and continuity of port operations, while the innovation building reflects the development of a “smarter and more digital port.”
The coastal shipping terminal, he added, represents another important step for the future of Angola’s logistics sector. Given the country’s vast territory and extensive coastline, coastal shipping is a key strategy for reducing transport costs.
However, when asked about the cost of the projects, Ricardo de Abreu again described the figures as “irrelevant,” emphasizing instead the benefits they are expected to generate for the population and the Angolan economy.
“What matters are the benefits. We must understand that logistics costs—not only in Angola but across the African continent—are four to five times higher than in many other parts of the world. Talking about big numbers is not important. What matters are the objectives and the impact these investments will have on our people and our economy,” he told journalists.
The Port of Luanda’s administration also declined to disclose the total value of the investments.
Source: Lusa
