LUANDA, July 21 – Angola has signed investment agreements worth $900 million with Chinese investors to develop the Barra do Dande Integrated Development Free Zone, advancing the government’s ambition to transform the area into a major logistics, industrial and trade hub outside the capital, Luanda.
The agreements were signed between the Barra do Dande Development Company (SDBD) and Huatong Angola Industry Ltd. alongside Berkshire Waterhouse Infrastructure Development Ltd. They cover the sub-concession and construction of the port terminal as well as supporting infrastructure within the free trade zone.
According to SDBD, the project will be implemented entirely through private sector financing. Speaking to journalists, Roque Saraiva, Chairman of SDBD, said two separate agreements had been concluded.
According to Saraiva, “The first agreement covers the sub-concession of the port terminal with an investment of around $450 million, while the second covers the infrastructure sub-concession, bringing the total investment to $900 million.”
He added that the concession will run for 25 years, with the possibility of renewal depending on the project’s commercial performance and long-term viability.
Saraiva explained that construction of the Barra do Dande Port Terminal will be carried out in three phases. The first phase is expected to take 24 months, while the second and third phases are scheduled for completion by 2029 or 2030, when the entire terminal is expected to become fully operational.
He noted that once the first phase is completed, the port will begin handling exports from companies operating within the free trade zone, helping accelerate industrial production and regional trade.
The completed terminal will be capable of accommodating vessels of up to 80,000 tonnes and is projected to support annual commercial activity exceeding $10 billion.
Saraiva emphasised that “This is entirely a private-sector investment, and the project’s development strategy provides for the involvement of strategic partners.”
For his part, Zhang WenDong, Chairman of Huatong Angola Industry, said the terminal would play a critical role in strengthening Angola’s logistics network and industrial development.
According to Zhang, “Once completed, the Barra do Dande Port Terminal will be of paramount importance for improving the regional transport system, maximising the use of coastal resources, increasing logistics capacity and promoting industrial development.”
He also noted that existing logistics constraints have limited the distribution capacity of the industrial complex and called on the Angolan government to provide continued policy support, particularly regarding shipping routes and logistics coordination.
Meanwhile, João Rufino, a representative of Berkshire Waterhouse Infrastructure Development Ltd., said the $900 million investment would be released in phases as regulatory approvals are obtained.
According to Rufino, “We are currently going through the approval process, but as soon as the institutions have given their full approval, we are ready to move on to the next phase.”
He said the funding would support the construction of port infrastructure, energy facilities and road networks serving both domestic and international investors.
The Barra do Dande Free Zone forms part of Angola’s broader industrialisation strategy and is expected to create approximately 21,000 jobs. The area already hosts the Aluminium Industrial Park developed by Huatong Angola Industry, whose first phase began production earlier this year, creating 1,200 direct jobs and 800 indirect jobs.
Other major projects under development include the Sino-Ord Integrated Industrial Park, which comprises more than ten manufacturing plants, and an edible oil refinery expected to be completed by mid-2028.
The latest investment is expected to strengthen Angola’s position as a regional logistics gateway, expand industrial production capacity and support the country’s efforts to diversify its economy beyond oil through manufacturing, trade and infrastructure development.
