PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS

PORT CONTACT DETAILS

Mauritius Ports Authority, H. Ramnarain Building, Mer Rouge, Port Louis, Mauritius

Port of Port Louis   tel +230 206 5400

Port Control: n/a

Port Captain: n/a

email: info@mauport.com

website: www.mauport.com

The Mauritius Port Authority (MPA) is the sole national port authority set up under the Ports Act 1998 to regulate and control the port sector. The MPA is a landlord port authority, providing the main port infrastructure and superstructure, together with related facilities. It also provides marine services and navigation aids, while it regulates and controls all port activities and environmental issues within the designated port areas.

One of the tasks of the MPA is to prepare and periodically update a Port Master Plan. Port Louis Harbour has experienced significant changes in traffic patterns over the last few years, being the result of major developments which have been undertaken in the different sectors of the country’s economy and also due to the rapidly evolving global trading environment.

In the decade 1980-90 the port was transformed from a lighterage port to one with deepwater alongside facilities for general cargo and container vessels. At the same time new operational handling systems were introduced. The focus was mainly on rationalisation of cargo handling operations, the creation of the Cargo Handling Corporation Ltd in 1983, the commissioning of the first comprehensive Port Master Plan in 1984 and its subsequent updating in 1989 as a result of major economic development of the country and the construction of the Trou Fanfaron Fishing Port in 1985 and its extension in 1990.

Attention continued to be focused on improving port operations efficiency and upgrading of marine facilities with the enlargement of the turning basin and acquisition of harbour and deep-sea tugs.

Between 1990 and 2000 continued port development culminated with the commissioning of a new container terminal — the Mauritius Container Terminal (MCT) in Mer Rouge (within Port Louis Harbour). This important development saw the transformation of Port Louis Harbour into a modern regional gateway. Principal achievements during the period were mainly:

1. The carrying out of major dredging and reclamation works, with the creation of over 100 hectares of land at Mer Rouge and Les Salines.
2. The creation of Freeport facilities.
3. The commissioning of four major studies under the aegis of the World Bank in the context of the Bank’s financial assistance for the Port Development and Environment Protection Project.
4. Development of the Peninsula area with the reconstruction of Quays A, D and E.
5. Implementation of the Port Development and Environment Protection Project with the overall objective to enhance Mauritius’ transport and trade competitiveness in the maritime sector, in an environmentally sound manner.
6. The construction of Mauritius Container Terminal (MCT), equipped with three post panamax quay cranes and ancillary facilities and their commissioning in 1999.
7. The construction of new road networks and associated facilities in the reclaimed Mer Rouge area.
8. The reviewing and updating of the Ports Act leading in the promulgation of the new Ports Act 1998, and the change of name from Mauritius Marine Authority to the Mauritius Ports Authority.
9. The signing of concession contracts with the Cargo Handling Corporation Ltd for the operation of all terminals.

During 2000/2001, Port Louis Harbour recorded unprecedented growth in transhipment traffic, following various agreements signed with major shipping companies using the port as a transshipment hub.

The MPA has consequently embarked on a series of development projects aimed at modernising port infrastructure and facilities and also adding the required capacity to meet the exigencies of the fast expanding maritime trade. These projects relate mainly to :

i. Expansion of the Container yard by an additional 6.4 ha which increased the storage capacity from 300,000 to 550,000 TEUs.
ii. Construction of a dedicated oil jetty in the English channel, for the unloading of petroleum tankers and LPG on a site segregated from normal port operations.
iii.Extension of the existing container berth by an additional 150 metres to accommodate 3 container ships at any one time.
iv.Carrying out additional dredging works to deepen the navigational channel and turning basin to a depth of 14.5 metres below CD.
v. Strengthening of security measures through a new fencing system, improved gate controls and installation of an appropriate CCTV surveillance system.
vi.Construction of a new Harbour Radio Tower with modern radio/communication and vessels’ tracking system to provide a better maritime service and enhance navigational safety.

PORT FACILITIES

The port has 16 berths divided across three terminals and a fishing port, catering for containers, general cargo including dry bulk and liquid bulk, a dedicated bulk sugar berth and fishing vessels. Passenger traffic is also catered for. There is also an oil jetty which handles around 1.1 million tons of petroleum products annually. The jetty, which has a depth alongside of -14.5m has a throughput capacity of 4 million tons annually and is equipped with 8 pipelines.

The container terminal has an annual throughput capacity of 550,000 TEUs. It is equipped with 5 Post-Panamax Ship-to-Shore gantry cranes and 8 rubber tyre gantries (RTGs). Reefer points number 288 and the terminal is equipped with a container scanner.

PORT STATISTICS

In the calendar year 2016 Port Louis handled a total of 7.273 million tonnes of cargo, all products. This comprised 6.007mt of imports and 1.266mt of exports.
Container traffic in the same period amounted to 388,514 TEUs, comprising 265,927 TEUs captive containers and 122,587 TEUs transhipments (inwards).
Vessels calling at the port numbered 2,934 all types. The breakdown was 567 container ship calls, 56 dry bulk carriers, 141 tankers, 101 general cargo ships, 977 fishing vessels, 28 cruise ship calls, others (unspecified) 1,064.

MARINE SERVICES

Pilotage service, compulsory for all vessels over 100 GRT, is available 24/7 on request. The exception is for white oil and LPG tankers, which are only berthed between sunrise and sunset.

Port Louis is equipped with:

2 x 30ton bollard pull tugs
1 x 45t bollard pull tug
1 x 70t bollard pull tug for deepsea towage, fire fighting and search & rescue
4 x 12t bollard pull tugs/workboats for harbour work

An additional 12t bollard pull tug/workboat is stationed at Port Mathurin, Rodrigues.

PORT SERVICES

Port Louis provides a variety of services to shipping. These include workshop facilities, garbage removal, provision of fresh water supply, bunkering, ship repairs, ship chandlers, transport and logistics, bulk services, cold storage, warehousing, Freeport facilities, underwater hull cleaning.

The port is manned 24 hours, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. Dry and liquid bulk cargo vessels are operated round the clock and container vessels on a three-shift basis at the Mauritius Container Terminal.

Port Louis Harbour has been ISPS compliant since 1 July 2004