Submission and public consultation of the environmental and social impact study of the project to build a new container terminal at the Port Autonome de Pointe-Noire by ERINA Consulting
With a view to the construction, management and operation of the new container terminal by the Abu Dhabi Ports Group (ADPG) at the East Mole of the Port Autonome de Pointe-Noire, an environmental and social impact study was carried out beforehand by ERINA Consulting, in agreement with the French firm ARTELIA. The study was the subject of a public consultation during a feedback session organised by the firm on 03 May 2024 in Pointe-Noire.
The aim of this environmental and social impact study, carried out in accordance with national Congolese regulations and international best practice in environmental and social management, is to help the Port Autonome de Pointe-Noire, the beneficiary, and the AD Ports Group, the main contractor, developer and operator of the future container terminal, to design a project that respects the environment and local communities by defining all the activities and measures to be implemented to improve the environmental and social quality of the project during the construction and operation phases, as well as throughout the life of the facility.
This study will also enable interested parties to be informed and to participate in the design and implementation of this huge new container terminal project. This is because the project has both positive spin-offs and negative environmental and social impacts. These negative environmental impacts, which can be summed up mainly as atmospheric pollution and waste production, will be caused by the project during the preparation phase, the installation of the site, the works and the operation of the port infrastructure.
The public consultation on this environmental and social impact study enabled ERINA Consulting to inform the local administrative authorities and civil society stakeholders of the nature and importance of the project to be built, to present the potential impacts and related measures, and to gather suggestions and amendments from those interested in the project.
The Managing Director of ERINA Consulting, Janvick MAMPASSI, was pleased with the response to the public consultation on the study, and with the very good suggestions and amendments received: ‘We have made some very good suggestions, as well as amendments that we will incorporate into the final version of the environmental and social impact study report, before it is validated by the inter-ministerial commission in Brazzaville, for an environmental compliance certificate that will give the AD Ports Group the go-ahead to carry out the work on the new container terminal at the Port Autonome de Pointe-Noire (PAPN) in complete safety and peace of mind’.
It should be noted that this project to build a new container terminal, which is part of the Port Autonome de Pointe-Noire’s development and investment plan, will create 2,500 direct and indirect jobs.
By Antoine Dustell Mbama, Correspondent for Maritimafrica in the Republic of Congo
