DRC: Kasumbalesa Dry Port Targets January 2027 Start of Construction
The Ports & Maritime sector in the DRC is moving toward a new phase with the Kasumbalesa Dry Port project, designed to ease congestion at one of the country’s main trade gateways. Yellowstone Consortium and OGEFREM are targeting January 2027 for the start of construction, subject to the completion of all outstanding preconditions.
Kasumbalesa Dry Port: Construction Targeted for January 2027
The Ports & Maritime sector in the DRC is entering a new phase with the development of the Kasumbalesa Dry Port. On 13 August 2026, representatives of Yellowstone Consortium and the Office for the Management of Multimodal Freight (OGEFREM) met in Cape Town to accelerate preparations for the project.
The two sides agreed to establish a detailed implementation schedule. Construction is targeted to begin in January 2027, provided that all administrative, technical and operational conditions are fulfilled.
Further discussions are scheduled to take place in Kinshasa during the week of 24 August. A Yellowstone team is expected to meet with OGEFREM to finalize several strategic elements related to the project’s implementation.
A Logistics Project Designed to Address Kasumbalesa Congestion
The project comes amid sustained pressure on the Kasumbalesa Corridor, a key land route connecting the DRC with Zambia and, beyond it, markets across the SADC, COMESA and East African regions.
The Kasumbalesa border crossing regularly experiences queues involving hundreds of trucks. Such congestion directly affects transit times, vehicle turnaround, transport costs and the predictability of regional supply chains.
The Kasumbalesa Dry Port is intended to shift part of the logistics operations away from the immediate border area. The objective is to improve the organization of cargo flows, customs procedures and freight-related activities.
According to figures provided by the project stakeholders, more than 60% of the DRC’s commercial traffic to and from the SADC, COMESA and East African markets passes through this corridor.
Why It Matters
* Lower border congestion: A structured logistics facility could reduce the accumulation of heavy trucks at the border.
* Lower logistics costs: Shorter waiting times could improve truck utilization and reduce costs associated with idle equipment.
* Regional trade facilitation: Kasumbalesa is a strategic gateway for trade between the DRC, Zambia and markets across Southern and Eastern Africa.
Regional Perspective
The development of the Kasumbalesa Dry Port reflects a broader challenge facing African trade corridors: improving the performance of border logistics infrastructure. Separating customs, storage, cargo handling and transit operations can help reduce bottlenecks and improve the flow of goods.
For the DRC, the issue extends beyond its border with Zambia. The performance of the Kasumbalesa Corridor directly affects the country’s access to regional supply chains and markets.
With construction targeted for January 2027, the Kasumbalesa Dry Port is entering a critical implementation phase. Its ability to reduce congestion and improve freight flows will depend on the completion of outstanding conditions, the final implementation schedule and effective execution of the project.
