Fatshimetrie: Traffic jams at the port of Matadi, a major obstacle for the Congolese economy
For several days, a persistent blockage situation has paralyzed activities at the port of the Congolese Port and Fishing Company (SOCOPE) in Matadi, in the province of Kongo-Central. At the origin of this logistical chaos, unprecedented traffic jams on the road leading to the port facilities, caused by a massive influx of vehicles from Angola carrying out transhipments along the route.
This congestion has worsened following the entry into force of a restrictive measure aimed at limiting the activities of foreign vehicles within the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the exception of those in transit. This restriction has had a direct impact on the flow of traffic to the port of Matadi, thus creating significant congestion around the SOCOPE facilities.
The consequences of this situation are disastrous, not only for the workers and port officials who are prevented from accessing their workplaces, but also for importers who are bearing the brunt of delays and disruptions in their logistics flows. Faced with this blockage, local voices are expressing their dismay and are even considering turning away from this port because of these recurring malfunctions.
The reaction of the provincial authorities was not long in coming in the face of this brewing crisis. The President of the Provincial Assembly of Kongo-Central, Papy Mantezolo, went there to assess the situation and promised to take appropriate measures to resolve this problem. In particular, he announced that a resolution would be voted on to remedy this paralysis of port activities and ordered the provincial governor to take initiatives to supervise the ministerial decision restricting the movement of foreign vehicles.
While waiting for concrete actions to relieve congestion on the road to the port of Matadi, pragmatic solutions are beginning to emerge. Among them, the proposal to direct the transhipment of vehicles coming from Angola to the city’s dry ports, thus offering a more fluid alternative to manage this influx of vehicles in transit.
This critical situation highlights the urgency of rethinking the logistics infrastructure and the regulation of road traffic around the port of Matadi. Indeed, the economic impact of these traffic jams on port activities and local trade cannot be overlooked. It is imperative to act quickly and in a coordinated manner to prevent such disruptions from happening again in the future, at the risk of seriously compromising the economic development of the region and the country as a whole.