Maritime Economist

Global Gateway Transport Gateway Mechanism -Assignment: Support for the development and modernization of Port Louis port - Mauritius BACKGROUNDStrategic r ole of the Port Louis port and EU–Global Gateway PerspectiveThe Port Louis port (hereafter referred to as the port) is the main maritime gateway of Mauritius and one of the most strategic ports in the South-West Indian Ocean. It handles nearly all the country’s external trade — over seven million tonnes of cargo annually — and serves as its primary hub for imports, exports, and transshipment between Africa, Asia, and Europe. Its geographical position, at the crossroads of major east–west and north–south shipping routes, gives it a natural advantage as a logistical and commercial centre connecting the African mainland with the broader Indo-Pacific region.Mauritius has maintained a robust and resilient economy, with real GDP growth estimated at around 4.7% in 2024. The country continues to benefit from its diversified services-based economy — including tourism, financial services, and logistics — and a per capita income exceeding US$ 10,000. However, public debt remains significant (above 70% of GDP) and reliance on tourism and external trade— particularly for food and energy — increases its vulnerability to global shocks. Inflation is further compounded by this heavy import dependency. While Mauritius’s fundamentals remain comparatively strong, the economy will require carefully targeted investments and prudent fiscal management to sustain growth and enhance competitiveness.T he port is a critical enabler of the island’s development model, supporting the manufacturing, re-export, fisheries, and tourism sectors, and generating a significant number of direct and indirect jobs. It is managed by the Mauritius Ports Authority (MPA) as the landlord port authority, while the Cargo Handling Corporation Ltd (CHCL) is responsible for stevedoring terminal and port operations since 1983. CHCL is a public company owned by the Government of Mauritius (GoM) and MPA, and its current concession contract is set to expire on 31 December 2025.The long-term vision of the GoM is to transform the port into a “Smart, Green, and Competitive Maritime Hub by 2030”, strengthening the country’s role as a regional logistics and maritime gateway.This strategic positioning also opens the door to enhanced cooperation with the European Union (EU) under the Global Gateway (GG) initiative, which prioritises sustainable connectivity, digital transformation, and green infrastructure in partner countries. The port’s modernization and energy transition agenda fit closely within GG ’s objectives of promoting resilient and low-carbon transport corridors in Africa and the Indian Ocean region. Collaboration through a Team Europe (TE) approach could enable the mobilisation of a combination of EU grants, European Investment Bank (EIB) or /and Member States (including AFD) financing , and private capital for port-related infrastructure and digitalisation projects.Recent Developments and Ongoing InvestmentsOver the past two decades, Mauritius has pursued an ambitious strategy to strengthen the competitiveness of its maritime sector. The Mauritius Container Terminal (MCT) has been extended to 800 metres with a depth of 16.5 metres, enabling the port to accommodate larger vessels of up to 14,000 TEUs. With the existing fleet of 5 STS cranes, the MCT currently can handle approximately 750,000 TEUs annually . In FY 2023/2024, the terminal handled 649,046 TEUs.The major shipping line operating at MCT is the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) – the leading contributor to transshipment volumes – followed by Maersk and CMA CGM.The Multi-Purpose Terminal (MPT) handles conventional cargo, bulk commodities, and inter-island shipments, serving both domestic and regional markets. In parallel, the port has made notable progress in safety, security, and environmental performance through compliance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code and the introduction of improved traffic management and surveillance systems.The CHCL Business Plan 2025–2030 sets out a new phase of investment and modernisation, amounting to approximately Rs 5.3 billion (EUR 110 million). The plan focuses on acquiring 3 Super-Post-Panamax ship-to-shore cranes and 8 Electric/hybrid rubber-tyred gantries, implementing the digital port management system (Navis N4), strengthening quay 3 and 4 and upgrading yard infrastructure and maintenance equipment. It also foresees the gradual decarbonisation of terminal operations, with the integration of renewable energy sources and hybrid machinery, in line with national sustainability goals. The total investment is expected to be financed through a mix of CHCL’s internal resources (75%) and external borrowing by approximately Rs 1.3 billion.Complementary works, such as the development of a new customs verification centre, improvement of access roads, and expansion of the logistics zone, will be supported through the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) 2025–2026.These initiatives are aimed at reducing turnaround times, increasing handling capacity to 1.2 million TEUs by 2030, and promoting the transition towards a more efficient and environmentally sustainable port ecosystem. They also align with broader government objectives of positioning Mauritius as a high-value logistics and maritime services centre in the Indian Ocean.Previous and Ongoing Technical SupportThe port has benefited from several international and bilateral initiatives over recent years. The EU–AFD blending programme (2017–2021) supported the acquisition of port equipment and measures to improve operational productivity.The Port Security Project (PSP), co-financed by the EU and implemented by the Indian Ocean Commission, Interpol, and the IMO, has strengthened compliance with international safety and security standards, including the establishment of a Port Control Unit and an integrated maritime information system.In addition, under the IMO Global MTCCs Network (GMN II) programme, the port was selected as one of six pilot ports worldwide to implement energy-efficiency and GHG reduction measures. This participation underscores the port’s commitment to climate adaptation and mitigation, and its readiness to pilot decarbonisation solutions in line with the EU Green Deal and the IMO’s GHG Strategy.Despite these achievements, gaps persist in the areas of long-term infrastructure planning, port digitalisation, energy transition, and governance. The need for a coherent, data-driven diagnostic has become increasingly evident to guide investment priorities and ensure the financial and operational competitiveness and sustainability of future port development.Regional competitive landscapeIn the broader regional context, ports such as Durban (2.5 million TEUs/year), Mombasa, and Tema (both exceeding one million TEUs/year) continue to dominate maritime trade. However, these gateways face persistent challenges, including congestion, political instability, and high operational costs. By contrast, ports such as Colombo, Salalah, and Djibouti offer strong competition thanks to their high productivity, advanced facilities, and efficient services.Significant developments are also expected in the coming years at Durban, Toamasina (Madagascar), Réunion Island, Djibouti, Lamu, and Bagamoyo (Tanzania), where new terminals and logistics facilities are being constructed with support from international investors, including under the Belt and Road Initiative. These investments are likely to reshape regional shipping dynamics, intensifying competition for transshipment traffic and reinforcing the need for Port Louis port to enhance its operational efficiency, connectivity, and value-added services.Rationale for a diagnostic studyThis forthcoming diagnostic study aims to provide a preliminary assessment of Port Louis port’s current performance and future development potential. The exercise will examine the physical infrastructure, traffic evolution, operational efficiency, institutional framework, and financial sustainability of port operations. It will identify key bottlenecks affecting productivity and competitiveness, including the condition of existing assets, cargo-handling performance, equipment utilisation, and hinterland connectivity.The study will also review ongoing and planned projects, assess their alignment with the port’s master plan and national strategies, and evaluate potential areas for international cooperation and financing, including under the EU Global Gateway framework.With this aim, partnerships with EU shipping companies already operating in Mauritius could be instrumental in shaping the port’s long-term development strategy. Mauritius can thus leverage the expertise, technological capacity, financial resources, and global networks of leading maritime operators and ports. Such collaboration would strengthen the port’s operational efficiency, accelerate the digital and green transition, and ensure compliance with international best practices. Ultimately, these partnerships could enhance Port Louis’s competitiveness as a regional maritime hub while promoting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient growth aligned with both national and regional economic objectives. In doing so, the diagnostic will help to: Establish a clear baseline of port operations and infrastructure capacity to assess its competitiveness with other ports of the region ; Review short- and medium-term investment priorities; Define measures to improve institutional coordination and private-sector participation; Integrate environmental and energy-efficiency considerations into future projects; Prepare the technical and analytical foundation for potential Team Europe engagement in the maritime sector. By combining operational analysis with financial, environmental, and strategic perspectives, the diagnostic will contribute to the design of a modernisation roadmap for the Port Louis port — one that is resilient and aligned with international best practices. OBJECTIVES AND EXPECTED OUTPUTSGeneral objectiveThe general objective of this assignment is to contribute to the development and modernization of Port Louis port in Mauritius through a shared vision that aligns with both Mauritius' and EU interests and values.Specific objectivesThe purpose of this study is to : Examine of the port's current situation: layout, infrastructure, equipment, procedures, organization, security, etc. Analyse the port traffic (import, export) over the last 10 years, with a focus on trade with Europe. Assess the competition of Port Louis port with other regional ports. Propose a preliminary action plan for supporting Port Louis port development and modernization, integrating financial and operational partnership opportunities with European shipping companies. Recommend actions to soft support the maritime transport sector in Mauritius: institutional support, regulatory development, capacity building, etc., in the partnership framework. Propose a roadmap for supporting the port’s development and modernisation. Expected outputsThe main outputs of this assignment are: Diagnostic of the port situation Preliminary traffic analysis Scoping of the regional competitiveness of Port Louis port Preliminary action plan for supporting Port Louis port development and modernisation Recommendations for the support of the maritime transport sector in Mauritius Roadmap for the port’s development and modernisationЕxpected GGTSM outputs Activity Area O3 – Technical support in programming and preparation of projects Activity Area O4 – Operationalisation of the EU connectivity strategy SCOPE OF INTERVENTIONThe objective of this assignment is to conduct a stocktaking mission to better understand the current situation of the port and to have an overview of the maritime transport sector in Mauritius.The specific activities to be undertaken within the framework of this assignment are: 3.1 Data collection and Field visit The Consultant will carry out a desk review of all relevant documentation related to the economic context and activities in Mauritius, with a particular focus on the maritime transport sector and the Port Louis port. This review will include the CHCL business plan 2025-2030 and other available reports or studies concerning port development and national transport strategies in the region. The objective of this review is to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the project context, its institutional framework, and the ongoing investment environment.The consultant will undertake online consultations with the EU and TE stakeholders, as well as with the relevant private sector stakeholders when possible.Subsequently, the consultant will undertake a field visit to Port Louis, during which he/she will hold consultations with the main stakeholders involved in the port operations and management and in the maritime transport sector in general.The objective of this field visit is to complete the data collection in order to: Prepare a diagnostic of the maritime transport sector in Mauritius including its institutional and regulatory framework. The role and participation of the private sector in the sector will be analysed. Describe the current situation of the port: general layout, infrastructure, facilities, equipment, organisation, procedures, security, etc. This assessment will highlight the port's strengths and weaknesses and the main constraints hindering its smooth operation. Analyse the economic activity, primarily trade (imports, exports), which will serve as the basis for the preliminary traffic study. Propose actions for supporting the improvement of port operations.The Consultant will need the support of the Administrations dealing with transport and economic activities and trade, the Port Louis port Authority, the CHCL and the private operators in order to collect the required data for the good implementation of this assignment.Following the field visit, the Consultant will prepare a mission report summarizing the main findings, conclusions, and preliminary recommendations arising from the desk review and field visit. 3.2 Preliminary traffic analysis Based on the data collected during the field visit and the consultations with the main stakeholders, the consultant will analyse the activity of the port in terms of import/export during the last 10 years, conditioned by the availability of data.This analysis will cover different types of traffic: cargo and passengers, and different types of ships/boats.For cargo, the consultant will distinguish between the main products, specifying the type of cargo (liquid, bulk, containerized).The Consultant will analyse traffic potential for a 25- to 30-year horizon, considering the retrospective analysis described above and the overall economic growth prospects for the country and the region. Where possible, the consultant will take into account the potential transfer of traffic from other regional ports to the port of Port Louis. 3.3 Scoping of the regional competitiveness of Port Louis port The Consultant will undertake a desk review of available documents/reports and collect data to assess how Port Louis port competes with other ports in the Indian Ocean, mainly La Reunion, Seychelles and/or Madagascar.He will evaluate the potential traffic transfer from these ports to Port Louis port and what are the required measures/improvements to achieve this transfer. 3.4 Preliminary action plan for supporting Port Louis port development and modernisation Based on the port diagnostic, the CHCL business plan 2025-2030 and expected future traffic growth, the Consultant will prepare a preliminary action plan to support the development and modernisation of the port.The plan will include a hard component (infrastructure and equipment investments) and a soft component (trade facilitation, digitalisation, and capacity building).Cost estimates will be based on average unit costs from comparable projects in the country/region. The review of the CHCL business plan 2025-2030 will also provide the basis for a preliminary economic and financial assessment of the proposed investments.The Consultant will analyse potential partnerships between the GoM and the EU financing blending instruments and the private sector - including EU-shipping companies - to bring financing and innovation to expand infrastructure and enhance operational capacity.In parallel, leveraging the extensive trade networks and route-planning capabilities of European shipping lines could reinforce Port Louis’s role as a regional transshipment hub and strategic gateway between Africa, Asia, and Europe. 3.5 Recommendations for the support of the maritime transport sector in Mauritius Building on the diagnostic and considering the development opportunities in regional and international trade, the Consultant will recommend actions to strengthen the maritime transport sector in Mauritius and promote greater private sector participation.The Consultant will also identify needs related to best practices in port management, logistics optimisation, and the adoption of innovative technologies such as automation and digital tracking, that can be enhanced by the private sector. He/she will also identify initiatives aiming institutional, policy and regulatory reforms and capacity building for the port and maritime staff.Collaboration with European operators will also help integrate renewable energy, promote low-carbon fuels, and apply circular-economy principles, aligning operations with EU sustainability standards and enhancing regional competitiveness.These actions aim to strengthen the role that the Port Louis port could play as a strategic port of call and transshipment hub along the main shipping routes crossing the Indian Ocean, contributing to regional connectivity and competitiveness. 3.6 Roadmap for the port’s development and modernisation The Consultant will prepare a roadmap outlining the short-, medium-, and long-term measures required to support the development and modernisation of the port. It will highlight the necessary studies and preparatory actions, needed reforms, and cooperation opportunities with international financial institutions, European shipping companies and the private sector. The consultant will give a detailed estimated budget for each measures and, based on the consultations, identify the potential partner(s) for each measure.Based on the results of this study, the EC/EUD together with the GoM may decide on the most appropriate way forward for the development and modernisation of the port.Required Deliverables Mission Report: T 0 + 4 weeks (T 0 : Kick-off of the mission) Draft Report: T 0 + 7 weeks Final Report: Two weeks after receiving the commentsAll deliverables will be written in English and submitted electronically in editable format (Word and PDF). LOGISTICS AND SCHEDULEExecution LocationsThe services will take place at the Consultant's office with a mission to Mauritius for data collection, visit of the port and consultations with the main stakeholders of the project.Start date and period of implementation of tasksThe estimated start date of the mission is set for November 10, 2025. The total duration of the contract is three (3) months.Indicative agendaActivities / deliverablesLocationSNKE1 Working-daysSNKE2 Working-daysTimelinePreliminary Desk-review and Kick-off MeetingHomebased10.5T 0Data collection33Field visitMauritius50Mission ReportHomebased11T 0 + 4 weeksPreliminary traffic analysis04Scoping of the regional competitiveness of Port Louis port03Preliminary action plan for supporting Port Louis development & modernisation30Recommendations for the support of Mauritius maritime transport sector20Roadmap for the port’s development and modernisation21Draft Final Report21T 0 + 7 weeksFinal Report10.52 weeksTotal20143 months Staff REQUIREMENTSTwo experts, as per the below qualifications, are required for the implementation of this assignment. Designation RequirementsSNKE1: Maritime Port EngineerQualifications and skills: hold a university degree (Master or equivalent) in engineering (or other relevant sector), preferably with a specialization in the maritime transport.General experience: At least fifteen (15) years of general experience in this field.Specific experience: Over the past 7 years, involved in at least 3 projects related to studies and/or implementation of maritime transport projects (port’s development and modernisation).Proven experience with port operations, cargo-handling systems, and investment planning.Capable of verifying the technical soundness and cost estimates of ongoing and planned investments, such as quay reinforcement, equipment renewal, and yard improvements (including renewable energy sourced equipment and hybrid machinery).The expert must have carried out several international assignments and be fluent in French and English, with good communication and reporting skills.Experience in Mauritius or the wider Indian Ocean region will be considered an asset.SNKE2: Maritime EconomistQualifications and skills: hold a university degree (Master or equivalent) in Economics (or other relevant sector), preferably with a specialization in the maritime transport.General experience: At least fifteen (15) years of general experience in this field.Specific experience: Over the past 7 years, involved in at least 3 market studies, Masterplans or similar studies or maritime transport projects.Demonstrated experience in traffic analysis, port competitiveness assessments, and investment planning.Strong understanding of institutional frameworks, public–private partnerships, and the financial aspects of port development.The expert must have carried out several international assignments and be fluent in French and English, with good communication and reporting skills.Experience in Mauritius or the wider Indian Ocean region with comprehensive knowledge of the maritime market in the region.