Gambia Ports Authority

What Gambia Ports Authority does

Gambia Ports Authority (GPA) is a statutory public corporation established in 1972 and wholly owned by the Government of The Gambia, operating the Port of Banjul on the Gambia River estuary 26 nautical miles from the Atlantic. Its exclusive statutory mandate covers vessel berthing, pilotage, wharfage, stevedoring, shorehandling, cargo handling, warehousing, entrepot storage, transshipment, ship repair (via the Banjul Shipyard subsidiary), and cross-river ferry services (via the Gambia Ferry Service Co. Ltd subsidiary). The authority also manages the Banjul Fisheries Jetty under a 2001 MoU with government, providing berthage, fuel bunkering, and cold-ironing for fishing vessels with drafts up to 5 metres.

GPA serves a diversified B2B customer base including international shipping lines, freight forwarders, importers and exporters, ferry operators, naval and fishing vessel owners, and government institutions, with tariffs publicly disclosed under regulated pricing (e.g., D750 per 20ft shorehandling container; 55%+ tariff reduction since 2013). Technology infrastructure comprises the recently deployed Port Management Information System (PMIS) branded Posidonia — built on AWS by Spanish vendor Prodevelop and live since April 2025 — alongside the ASYCUDA A* customs platform, Shore Handling Revenue Collection System, Electronic Delivery Order (eDO), Electronic Gate Pass, and a Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) under procurement.

GPA's go-to-market is government-relationship-driven rather than commercial: it combines statutory authority, hosting of the biannual Intermodal Africa conference (32nd edition hosted in November 2024), institutional partnerships with PMAWCA, PMAESA, AfDB, and Transport Events Malaysia, and PPP concessions with the Albayrak & Negmar Consortium (Turkey) for the Banjul Port 4th Expansion and with Grupo Rodman (Spain) for the Banjul Shipyard. Major growth initiatives are the Sanyang Deep Sea Port (foundation stone July 2025, presided over by President Adama Barrow) and the completed digital transformation, positioning GPA for a step-change in throughput, addressable trade, and service depth.

Name

Gambia Ports Authority

Legal name

Gambia Ports Authority

Website

https://gambiaports.gm

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Gambia Ports Authority is a statutory government corporation operating the Port of Banjul and wholly-owned subsidiaries (Banjul Shipyard, Gambia Ferry Service) under an exclusive 1972 mandate, providing pilotage, cargo handling, warehousing, ship repair, and ferry services to international shipping lines, freight forwarders, importers, and government ferry and fisheries operators in The Gambia and West Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Port Services

NAICS

Port and Harbor Operations (488310), Port and Harbor Operations (48831), Marine Cargo Handling (48832), Marine Cargo Handling (488320), Navigational Services to Shipping (488330)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Maritime & Port Authorities (Public Ports, Harbors, Ferries Terminals) (BPAIALAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Stevedoring & Vessel Loading/Discharging (Ship-to-Shore Operations) (TLAHALAA), Port Stakeholder Coordination (Terminal, Agents, Customs, Pilots, Tugs) (TLAHAFAJ), Port Dues, Permitting & Regulatory Clearances (TLAHAFAD), Ferry Terminal, Port & Passenger Handling Services (THAEAGAJ), Marine Terminals & Cargo Handling Infrastructure (RoRo, Bulk, Container) (IMAFAJAF)

Keywords

• Port authority services
• Maritime cargo handling
• Vessel pilotage services
• Stevedoring operations
• Port warehousing storage

Headquarters

HQ city

Banjul

HQ country

Gambia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Berthage and Wharfage Charges: Fees charged for vessel berthing at the Port of Banjul's wharves, based on vessel size and duration of stay.
2. Cargo Handling Services: Revenue from stevedoring, shorehandling, and cargo handling equipment operations for containerized and non-containerized cargo.
3. Pilotage Services: Compulsory pilotage services for vessels from buoy No. 5, available 24 hours.
4. Shorehandling Charges: Fees per container: D750 for 20ft, D1,500 for 40ft, D1,687.60 for 45ft containers.
5. Warehousing and Storage: Revenue from bonded and conventional warehouses and entrepot storage and transshipment facilities.
6. Banjul Shipyard Services: Ship repair, maintenance, and marine/industrial services through the Banjul Shipyard subsidiary.
7. Port Dues and Administrative Fees: Government-mandated port dues and fees for documentation, customs clearance facilitation, and entrepot storage.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Gambia Ports Authority operates the Port of Banjul as The Gambia's national port authority, providing vessel berthing (wharfage), compulsory 24-hour pilotage, stevedoring, shorehandling, warehousing and entrepot storage, and maritime operations (tugboats, dredgers, cargo handling equipment). Through subsidiaries it also delivers ship repair and marine industrial services (Banjul Shipyard), cross-river ferry services (Gambia Ferry Service), and fisheries jetty operations. The Port Management Information System (PMIS / Posidonia) digitally coordinates port calls, vessel authorizations, cargo handling, invoicing, and analytics.

Product overview

Gambia Ports Authority (GPA) operates the Port of Banjul as a statutory public corporation established in 1972, providing comprehensive port services in West Africa. The organization offers traditional maritime services including Pilotage, Wharfage, Stevedoring, Shorehandling, Warehousing, and Maritime Operations. GPA has undertaken significant digital transformation with its Port Management Information System (PMIS) branded 'Posidonia'—a modular digital platform managing port calls, vessel authorizations, cargo handling, invoicing, and analytics. The product portfolio includes digital services (Shore Handling Revenue Collection System, eDO, eGate Pass) alongside physical port operations. GPA also manages subsidiary operations including Banjul Shipyard (shipbuilding/repairs), Gambia Ferry Service (cross-river transport), and Banjul Fisheries Jetty. Major development projects include the Sanyang Deep Sea Port and Banjul Port 4th Expansion, with PPP concessions including Albayrak Group for port operations and Grupo Rodman for shipyard rehabilitation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pilotage
• Wharfage
• Stevedoring
• Shorehandling
• Warehousing
• Maritime Operations
• Port Management Information System (PMIS / Posidonia)
• Banjul Shipyard (Subsidiary)
• Gambia Ferry Service (Subsidiary)
• Banjul Fisheries Jetty (Managed Facility)

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Albayrak and Negmar Consortium (Turkey)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPPP concession with GPA serving as both grantor and shareholder in the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV). The consortium is responsible for the Banjul Port concession under the Fourth Expansion Project. This is GPA's flagship infrastructure partnership for port modernization.
• Grupo Rodman (Spain)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPPP concession for Banjul Shipyard design, construction, rehabilitation, operation, maintenance, and hand back. Grupo Rodman was selected as the most responsive bidder through international competitive bidding in September 2022. GPA serves as both grantor and shareholder.
• Maritime Transport Business Services (MTBS) — NetherlandsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTransaction Adviser that assisted the Government of The Gambia through the PPP Technical Evaluation Committee in the bidding process for the Banjul Port expansion PPP.
• Prodevelop (Spain)coreTechnology or IntegrationSpanish-based firm with experience digitizing over 200 ports worldwide. Led the six-month implementation of the PMIS (Posidonia) system deployed April 3, 2025, covering port calls, vessel authorizations, cargo handling, invoicing, and analytics.
• Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Single Window and International Trade Facilitation training, and joint implementation of digital customs systems (ASYCUDA WORLD) for trade facilitation.
• Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with GPA and GRA for capacity building training on Single Window and Port Community System, sponsored by the Improvement of Port Customs and Operations Efficiency in Africa (IPCOEA) project.
• Transport Events MalaysiaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-host of the 32nd Intermodal Africa Conference and Exhibition (November 2024), the largest biannual maritime transport and logistics gathering in Africa, held in Banjul.
• Port Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa (PMAESA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial endorser of the 32nd Intermodal Africa Conference hosted by GPA in Banjul, lending institutional credibility to the event.
• Government of The Gambia (GoTG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGoTG granted PPP approval for Banjul Shipyard concession and Banjul Port 4th Expansion Project. GPA operates Banjul Fisheries Jetty under MoU with GoTG dated September 17, 2001. The African Development Bank (AfDB) and BADEA co-financed the Fisheries Jetty construction.
• Atlas Oil Company LtdminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrivate operator leased by GPA to provide fuel bunkering services at the Banjul Fisheries Jetty, supplying fuel to berthed vessels and artisanal canoes.
• Ministry of Transport, Works, and Infrastructure (MOTWI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGPA works through MOTWI to implement the Banjul Port 4th Expansion Project, applying AfDB funds to eligible payments for consultancy services.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA): Statutory national port authority operating Tema and Takoradi ports in Ghana. Direct peer — comparable statutory mandate, similar service mix (pilotage, stevedoring, shorehandling, warehousing), and shared PMAWCA membership serving the same West African trade corridor.
• Port Autonome d'Abidjan (PAA): National port authority of Côte d'Ivoire operating the Port of Abidjan. Direct competitor for West African container and general cargo traffic, with overlapping shipping line customers and similar service portfolio to GPA.
• Port of Douala (Port Autonome de Douala - PAD): Cameroon's national port authority managing the Port of Douala, the largest port in the CEMAC region. Peer through shared PMAWCA membership, comparable statutory governance, and overlap in container, bulk, and general cargo handling for West and Central Africa.
• Ports Autonomes de Dakar (PAD): State-owned port authority operating the Port of Dakar, Senegal's primary seaport on the West African coast. Direct peer to GPA — both are national port authorities managing general cargo, container, and ro-ro operations, competing for the same Europe–Africa shipping calls.

Broad incumbents

• Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA): Federal port authority managing six Nigerian seaports including Lagos and Calabar. Broader incumbent in the same West African port ecosystem — comparable statutory mandate, but operates at a much larger scale and on multiple coasts.
• APM Terminals: Global container terminal operator with African operations including Tema, Monrovia, and Onne. Comparable to GPA through global best-practice operating standards, terminal operating systems (similar to PMIS), and PPP-based engagement models with African port authorities.
• DP World: Global terminal operator with significant African port concessions (Dakar, Berbera, Sokhna). Comparable to GPA through PPP concession model — Albayrak/Negmar concession partner profile resembles DP World's role as an international port operator co-investing in African port infrastructure.
• Bolloré Ports (Bolloré Transport & Logistics): Global port operator with African concessions including Freetown, Tema, and Kribi. Comparable to GPA as an international port operator partnering with African national authorities on concession contracts, port operating systems, and capacity expansion.

Regional players

• Guinea Ports Authority (OPAG): Office de la Promotion et de Gestion des Ports managing Conakry port in Guinea. Regional peer operating in the same Atlantic West African shipping corridor, with comparable cargo mix and statutory mandate to GPA.
• Sierra Leone Ports Authority: Statutory port authority operating the Port of Freetown in Sierra Leone. Closest geographic and structural peer to GPA — similar size, similar single-port dependency, similar PMAWCA membership, and similar expansion ambitions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gambia-ports-authority

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Gambia Ports Authority