APA-Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) The Aérohub, AGL Côte d’Ivoire’s logistics platform, facilitates the packaging of products and offers value-added storage for all types of freight.
On Wednesday 24 January 2024, AGL Côte d’Ivoire organised a visit for journalists to the site of the second container terminal of the ‘Port Autonome d’Abidjan’ and the Aérohub, as part of the AfCON 2023, of which Côte d’Ivoire is the host country.
David Alliali, Supply Chain Director at Aérohub, says that the direct impact of the sporting event had resulted in an “increase in the volumes” of business, with a “stock coverage rate of around 20% between before and after the AfCON 2023.”
This, he says, means that we can cope with the demand from people arriving for this 34th edition of the African Cup of Nations (AfCON 2023). The site records “an average of 300 to 400 orders a day.”
The Aérohub, which operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, handles a range of activities for around ten companies and deals with “around five to six million parcels” a year, including consumer goods, telecommunications and food products.
A tri-temperature platform, the Aérohub comprises a warehouse divided into three storage cells, an ambient temperature area, a positive cold chamber (2 to 10 degrees) and a negative cold chamber (-20) for frozen products.
The aim of this Aérohub, which will be set up in 2019, is to receive and store, under optimum conditions, then distribute the goods received from various origins destined for the Ivorian market and the West African sub-region.
Koen De Backker, Managing Director of Côte d’Ivoire Terminal, said that for the 2023 African Cup of Nations, “orders arrived rather late, so we imported a bit of everything, from balls to sound systems, which arrived on the eve of the opening ceremony.”
“We are the three most advanced terminals on the African coast, and if anyone asks me, personally, we are the most advanced, because we have deployed the latest generation of technology,” he went on.
Koen De Backker announced that the Container Terminal is currently equipped with six gantry cranes, with two further orders due to arrive at the end of 2025. The platform also has 18 gantry cranes and 36 electric tractors.
2nd Port of Abidjan Terminal
Côte d’Ivoire Terminal is built on 37.5 hectares, with 1,100 m of quay and a draught of 16 metres. It is capable of handling more than 1.5 million containers a year, he pointed out. To meet customer requirements, AGL has introduced innovative digital solutions.
Today, Côte d’Ivoire Terminal has an automated gate management system. These assets reinforce Côte d’Ivoire Terminal’s position as a leading terminal on the West African coast.
All the major shipping lines call at Côte d’Ivoire Terminal every day, with a direct line to Asia. The infrastructure is built in compliance with the most stringent environmental and social standards.
Supported by AGL and APM Terminal, Côte d’Ivoire Terminal provides Côte d’Ivoire with a modern, efficient port infrastructure that contributes to the reputation of the ‘Port Autonome d’Abidjan’ and to the growth of the entire sub-region.
AP/fss/as/APA