Chad
Chad - 2.1 Chad Port Assessment
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Waterways

Seaports 

Chad has no seaports within its territory. There is a heavy reliance on the seaport infrastructure of neighboring countries for the shipment of goods. Specifically, Chad relies on seaports that operate in Cameroon, Sudan, and Togo. 

Cameroon 

Most goods that are imported into Chad come through the Cameroonian corridor. Although data on the actual value of goods imported through Cameroon are limited, some estimates suggest that 80% of Chadian imports (worth roughly 2.19 billion USD in 2021) come through Cameroon before reaching their destination in Chad. In Cameroon, there are two primary deep seaports: Douala-Bonaberi Port (“Douala Port”) and Kribi Port.  

Douala-Bonaberi Port 

For detailed information on Douala Port, click the link here.  

 

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Douala Port 

WFP 

 

Distance from Chadian Border: Approximately 790 Kilometers (Douala Port to Koutéré) 

 

Transit Time: 

Approximately 7 days for a loaded truck and 2-3 days for a private vehicle 

Kribi Port 

For detailed information on Kribi Port, click the link here.  

 

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Kribi Port 

WFP 

 

Distance from Chadian Border: Approximately 846 Kilometers (Douala Port to Koutéré) 

Transit Time: 

Approximately 7 days for a loaded truck and 2-3 days for a private vehicle   

Sudan - Port of Sudan 

 

Goods in transit to Chad sometimes pass through the Sudanese corridor via El Geneina. The Port of Sudan is approximately 2,250 Kilometers East of the Chadian border city of Adre. The 2023 armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan is currently limiting the overall functionality of the Port. For more information on the Port of Sudan click the link here.   

Togo - Port of Lomé  

 

In addition to shipments to Cameroon and Sudan, goods may also arrive to Chad via the West African corridor originating from Port of Lomé, Togo. Typically, goods arriving at Port of Lomé pass through Cotonou (Benin), Lagos and northeast Nigeria, and arrive to N’Djamena after multiple transshipments and customs stops. The distance from the port to N’Djamena is approximately 2,135 Kilometers and transit time is heavily dependent on customs processes and transshipments. Additional corridor options originating from Togo exist and are being explored as well. Although the Port of Lomé is an option, it is not very heavily utilized in comparison to the Port of Douala because of the associated transit costs and hard to estimate lead times. For more information on the Port of Lomé click the link here.  

Libya 

In total, there are 6 commercial seaports in Libya (4 in the west and 2 in the east). Although there is potential for shipments to reach Chad from Libyan ports, security concerns and territorial disputes have made this corridor virtually impossible. Two decades ago, a Libyan corridor was created by humanitarian organizations to ship supplies and food assistance to people in Northern Chad. The current route that exists (Benghazi, Libya to Abeche, Chad) takes approximately 5 days and is 2,035 Kilometers. Today, the Libyan corridor is not being used by humanitarian actors. However, there are private transporters who bring goods into Chad from Libya for purchase. For more information on Libya’s Seaports click the link here.  

Dry ports 

Chad has a single dry port that is located just 10 km south of Central N’Djamena. The Port of N’Gueli, also known as the Port of N’Djamena (TDNDJ), is run by the Chadian port authority and is open for operations daily. Port N’Gueli is of considerable importance to the Chadian economy acting as a regional market for all types of products and commodities like livestock, salt, dates, and grains. To find in-depth information on the Port of N’Gueli see 2.1.1 Chadian Port of N’Gueli.  

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