Kigali Logistics Platform, which is operated by the United Arab Emirates’ logistics firm, DP World, located in Masaka sector in Kicukiro district, has inaugurated its expansion phase including three spacious warehouses and other facilities on an additional 7.5 hectares.
The facilities were built within a period of six months and are now operational.
Speaking during the launch that was graced by the Minister of Trade and Industry Beata Habyarimana, Capt. Sumeet Bhardwaj, the CEO of DP World Kigali, said that the three warehouses and one small one in the new section covers a total of about 10,500 square metres storage capacity.
The three warehouses are to be operated by various traders including East Africa Exchange (EAX) – a regional commodity exchange offering trading services in Rwanda and the East African Community common markets in key staples food crops.
"We have increased the capacity of our warehousing from 20,000 square metres to close to 50,000 square metres of bonded and non-bonded facilities. In terms of investment, the new section of this expansion has cost us close to $6 million” he said.
He added that phase one of the project has been a tremendous success adding; "our aim is to continuously enable trade and with this expansion we wish to offer a platform to commodity traders where they can sort and package their goods and on their behalf our trucking company to proceed with local and regional distribution”.
He added "DP World is committed to enhancing the lives of the communities where we operate through our Sustainability & Impact pillar, and we believe that this commodity Center will enhance the lives of the farmers working with us as it will connect them to traders continuously in need of stock for their local & regional commodity distribution. ”
DP World Kigali started operating in September 2018 offering Bonded and Inland Container Terminal Services. Today the Kigali Logistics Platform has become a one stop shop logistics hub offering additional services such as non-bonded warehousing, pack house & cold storage, Certified VGM Weighbridge, long haul transportation in the COMESA region (with a fleet of 27 trucks), clearing & forwarding and Industrial Projects among others and housing logistics stakeholders including the Customs Commissioner’s office, Rwanda Standard Board, Rwanda Police Department, RICA, Banks, Insurance companies and Clearing & Forwarding companies.
The CEO noted that Importers & Exporters should expect even more in future as the platform will continue to be developed to ease their logistics needs with the end goal of saving their logistics cost.
He added "The additional expansion will see the availability of office space for our clients & Clearing & Forwarding agencies in order to make the one stop shop a reality for all, saving time, money and bringing more efficiency into the overall end to end supply chain cycle”.
The construction for the new phase could take place before the end of this year, he said.
In addition to the current operational phases, the company has a provision of additional 25 hectares for further expansion.
DP World is a dry port which was launched by President Paul Kagame in 2019 as the country’s biggest inland cargo handling facility.