Reducing ship dwell times in port

Prime Minister Nadir Larbaoui chairs a government meeting devoted to energy efficiency, port management, the development of telecommunications services and twinning between public health establishments, according to a press release from the Prime Minister's office on Wednesday.

Review of roadmap implementation

As part of its monitoring of the implementation of the instructions given by the President of the Republic at the Council of Ministers meeting on June 2, 2024, concerning the efficient management of ports, the Government is examining the rate of progress in implementing the roadmap aimed at reducing ship dwell times and import goods processing times, by strengthening coordination between all stakeholders and ensuring interoperability between the various digital systems operating in container and goods processing at port level.

This initiative reflects the government's determination to move from a traditional port system to a more modern, fast and efficient model, to boost Algeria's competitiveness on the international maritime scene.

At the Council of Ministers meeting on June 2, the Head of State outlined the roadmap to follow. Abdelmadjid Tebboune instructed the Minister of Transport to redouble his vigilance and prudence in the face of all forms of manipulation, in particular the policy of procrastination concerning container control, insisting on the imperative of respecting unloading deadlines by reinforcing capacities and control mechanisms, which would free up space at dry ports.

Increased digitization of port processes

Instructions were also given to set up a coordination mechanism to manage the pressure resulting from waiting times in ports, so as to reduce them to a maximum of 24 hours. The President has ordered the pressure on the port of Algiers to be reduced, in conjunction with the commercial shipping agencies, by directing part of the maritime traffic of commercial vessels to all the country's ports.

A key aspect of the reform is the increased digitization of port processes, to speed up procedures and reduce cargo handling times. With 95% of the country's trade carried out by sea, digitization is becoming a key lever for improving the efficiency of port activities. The progress achieved resulted of "strengthening coordination between all stakeholders and guaranteeing interoperability between the various digital systems used to process containers and goods in ports", the same press release emphasizes.

2 million tonnes of goods handled by the Port of Algiers

Algeria has a network of 10 commercial ports, including 6 main ones: Ghazaouet, Oran, Mostaganem, Algiers, Djedjen and Annaba. These infrastructures play a central role in the flow of goods. The Port of Algiers, in particular, saw an 8% increase in the volume of goods handled in the 2nd quarter of 2024, reaching 2 million tonnes compared with 1.86 million tonnes for the same period in 2023.  These figures testify to the first effects of the reforms undertaken to improve the efficiency of ports in managing maritime flows.