Project
Lomé will be the first modern container transshipment hub in West and Central Africa capable of handling today’s larger container ships.
A modernisation of the only port on the West African coast with natural deep water, Lomé, creates a gateway to landlocked countries; a container terminal operating to the highest international standards.
The largest-ever private investment project in Togo, a green-field container terminal at the Port of Lomé, is now allowing shipping lines to deploy larger container vessels in West and Central Africa. Being a logistical hub, the port has an important economic role for Togo and the countries surrounding it since it will reduce cost and stimulate regional transport.
For the initial work package and with input to the environmental certificate NIRAS provided early project planning and design of the container terminal in close cooperation with the employer, Terminal Investment Ltd. The services included operational concept, elaboration of the terminal layout, planning of administration building and a substantial workshop. Further design works covered quay walls, revetments, paving drainage and utilities as well as power supply for the six STS cranes.
For the quay structures two alternative solutions were designed – one including a traditional tied back sheet pile walls and the other a diaphragm wall. The owner decided to proceed with the diaphragm wall as the preferred solution.
The methods used to ensure that adequate concrete cover was provided to the steel reinforcement were crucial criteria for success, as failure to do so could result in defects which are disproportionately difficult to rectify. Therefore, the importance of detailed planning in the construction stage and close supervision of works to construct the large quay walls using was essential.
In addition to close management of the technical risks associated with the construction of large marine structures in a developing country there were several risks associated with protection of the environment. Using NIRAS’ in-house environmental expertise the environmental issues were closely monitored to ensure that adequate protection was provided to the marine flora which included elaborate measures for the translocation of mangrove.
To ensure that sufficient stakeholder engagement was achieved NIRAS ensured that staff with appropriate language skills were located in Lomé at all stages of the project.
The state-of-the-art container terminal:
The terminal will have the capacity to accommodate an annual throughput of 1.5 million TEU after completion of the first phase. The final development phase will cater for 2.5 – 3 million TEU per annum.
What NIRAS provided:
