Comoros Port Assessment

Overview

The National Agency for Maritime Affairs (ANAM) is the state body responsible for regulating maritime issues directly under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transport, Posts and Telecommunications. It has the mission of public service and the authority to develop and operate the international maritime registry of the Union of Comoros. ANAM also aims to improve, promote and make the Comoros national maritime and port policy more competitive internationally, in compliance with the merchant shipping law of the Union of Comoros and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The Port Authority of the Comoros (APC) is the authority responsible for designing the legal framework (establishment of concessions) and regulating port activities (wharf access, security, etc.) in the country. In Moroni, the Bolloré Logistics Group won a tender for the concession of the handling of the port in 2012 and the Mutsamudu port concession in Anjouan is owned by Spanfreight, a subsidiary of UAFL.

Goods transport

The government estimates that 90% of the cargo to and within the Comoros is transported by sea. The Union of Comoros has two containerized ports located in Moroni (Grande Comore Island) and Mutsamudu (Anjouan Island) and a smaller one in Fomboni (Moheli Island) which can only receive bulk general cargo. At present, the port of Fomboni has no commercial relevance.

The main port of Comoros is located on the island of Anjouan, near Mutsamudu. It is a well-protected, deep-water port that can accommodate large ships.

The port of Moroni is less competitive due to the shallow waters of the port that prevent larger ships from docking. Vessels over 80 meters long remain at anchor and tranship the cargo on barges towed to the wharf and unloaded using a harbour crane.

The port of Moheli has a small wharf that can accommodate boats up to 45 meters, but barge transhipment is not available for longer vessels.