The Port Authority of Douala (PAD) has offered financial incentives worth FCFA 2billion (excluding taxes) to business partners in recognition of their significant contribution to the growth of port traffic in 2024. The commercial rebates were distributed to ship owners, importers and exporters – business partners of the Douala Port Container Terminal (RTC S.A.) during a ceremony in the country’s Economic Capital on April 25, 2025.
The Deputy Director General of PAD, Charles Moukoko Njoh; the Managing Director of RTC Lin Dieudonne Onana Ndoh and the Director General of Cameroon National Shippers Council (CNCC), Auguste Mbappe Penda were among top officials at the third edition of the ceremony to hand over the commercial rebates to beneficiaries.
Some 104 loyal customers benefitted from the financial incentive distributed proportionally based on the volume of container traffic measured in twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).
From the total amount of FCFA 2billion, 20% was offered to ship owners and 80% to importers and exporters. This brings to FCFA 6billion the total amount PAD has redistributed to business in three years.
The total amount of 2 billion CFA F was allocated as follows: For the purpose of distribution to ship owners, beneficiaries of the rebate must be up to date with their arrears to RTC SA and demonstrate a minimum traffic of 10,000 full twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).
Ship owners who achieved the minimum traffic required, received the allocated amount proportionally to their on-board traffic in full TEUs.
Notable recipients this year included Maersk Line Agency Cameroon SA, which received the largest rebate of FCFA 168.8 million topping ship owners. Some 32 indigenous importers were also rewarded with major fish importer and distributor, Congeles du Cameroon (CONGELCAM), benefiting rebates worth FCFA 68.1 million.
The Cameroon Cotton Development Company (SODECOTON) received a rebate of 102.7 million, topping the 54 companies that made up the national exporters category.
RTC business partners in neighbouring countries like Chad, the Central African Republic and the Republic of Congo were also recognized during the ceremony with PAD officials saying they will receive their financial incentives in their various countries in the coming days.
Speaking during the ceremony, the Managing Director of the Container Terminal, Lin Dieudonne Onana Ndoh promised that as long as the Port Authority is in operation, the recognition of its client, who are the shippers and ship owners, will always take place.
“This is a recognition of the contribution that the shippers and ship owners bring to the economy of the nation and the sub-region. If those two components are not present, the economy will be stagnant, and port activities will not move,” Onana Ndoh said.
The Deputy General Manager of PAD said the maritime facility remains committed to fostering strong partnerships with its clients while encouraging performance and promoting maritime traffic development at the Port of Douala-Bonaberi, a key economic hub in Central Africa.
Smiling with their cheques in hand, the Douala Port rebates beneficiaries promised to do more business with the maritime firm to benefit even more in the coming years. Speaking on behalf of Maersk Line Agency, Ezekiel Kounga said the company was happy to receive an amount more than it was given the previous year, pledging they will continue doing business with RTC.
“We have achieved a much higher performance than that of last year. This shows that we are in a process of continuous improvement and we were riveted in this momentum,” Kounga said. “By this we affirm our support for RTC and we will continue to support RTC in its development project and we hope to do better next year,” he said.
