Société Commerciale Des Transports Et Des Ports
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Société Commerciale des Transports et des Ports ( contracted as SCTP), formerly known as the Office d'Exploitation des Transports Coloniaux 1935–1959, then Office d'Exploitation des Transports au Congo 1960–1970, and Office National des Transports 1971–2011, is a
state-owned State ownership, also called public ownership or government ownership, is the ownership of an industry, asset, property, or enterprise by the national government of a country or state, or a public body representing a community, as opposed to ...
enterprise headquartered in
Kinshasa Kinshasa (; ; ), formerly named Léopoldville from 1881–1966 (), is the Capital city, capital and Cities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa is one of the world's fastest-grow ...
. The SCTP operates railways, ports, and inland barge transport in the northern and western regions of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo), is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is t ...
, along the
Congo River The Congo River, formerly also known as the Zaire River, is the second-longest river in Africa, shorter only than the Nile, as well as the third-largest river in the world list of rivers by discharge, by discharge volume, following the Amazon Ri ...
. Established in 1935, its main office is strategically situated on
Boulevard Du 30 Juin The Boulevard du 30 Juin ("Boulevard of June 30th") is a major 5‑km street in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is the city center's main transport artery, connecting the southern area of La Gombe with Kintambo and the Ngalie ...
in the Gombe commune of Kinshasa.


Functionality and organization

The SCTP, operating under the general regulations applicable to state-owned companies and decree-law number 0051 of 17 November 1995 governing its establishment and statutes, is structured in compliance with legal and regulatory provisions. Oversight of the SCTP's organic structures is jointly carried out by the Ministry of Transport and Communication in conjunction with the Ministry of Portfolio. These structures include: * Board of Directors ** Chaired by a General Delegate President and assisted by the Deputy General Delegate President, this body is responsible for guiding the overall policy of the SCTP. * Management Committee ** This committee oversees day-to-day operations and comprises the President-Delegate-General, the Deputy Delegate-General, and two Administrators (internal directors and a staff representative). * General Management ** Comprising five members, including four administrators appointed by presidential decree and a staff representative, the general management is headed by a managing director. Its mandate is to ensure the company's operations, service, and execution of the general policy determined by the management committee. *** In addition to the director and staff constituting the management's staff service, the management of the SCTP is structured around 11 departments divided into five operational departments and six logistical or non-operational support departments. **** Operational departments: These departments are revenue-generating and include: ***** Maritime Ports Department (''Département des ports maritimes''): responsible for handling operations in the ports of
Matadi Matadi is the chief sea port of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the capital of the Kongo Central province, adjacent to the border with Angola. It had a population of 245,862 (2004). Matadi is situated on the left bank of the Congo River, ...
, Boma, and
Banana A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large treelike herbaceous flowering plants in the genus '' Musa''. In some countries, cooking bananas are called plantains, distinguishing the ...
, as well as navigation on the
Congo River The Congo River, formerly also known as the Zaire River, is the second-longest river in Africa, shorter only than the Nile, as well as the third-largest river in the world list of rivers by discharge, by discharge volume, following the Amazon Ri ...
. ***** Kinshasa Port Department (''Département du port de Kinshasa''): managing the port of Kinshasa and the flammable beach of Kingabwa, handling goods, logs, and sawn timber. Located on the left bank of the Congo River at the
Pool Malebo The Pool Malebo, formerly Stanley Pool, also known as Mpumbu, Lake Nkunda or Lake Nkuna by local indigenous people in pre-colonial times, is a lake-like widening in the lower reaches of the Congo River.
, the port operates in shifts similar to the first department. ***** Railway Department (''Département de chemin de fer''): operating the Matadi-Kinshasa Railway line and urban rail transport in Kinshasa. ***** Department of Ports and River Transport (''Département des ports et transports fluviaux''): responsible for transport on the river (Kinshasa-
Kisangani Kisangani (), formerly Stanleyville (), is the capital of Tshopo, Tshopo Province, located on the Congo River in the eastern part of the central Congo Basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is the country's fifth-most populous urban a ...
), on the Kasaï (Kinshasa-
Ilebo Ilebo, formerly known as Port-Francqui, is a town in Kasai province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, lying at the highest navigable point of the Kasaï River. It is an important transport hub for ferries to Kinshasa and trains to Lubumbashi. ...
), on their tributaries, and the crossing from Kinshasa-
Brazzaville Brazzaville () is the capital (political), capital and largest city of the Republic of the Congo. Administratively, it is a Departments of the Republic of the Congo, department and a Communes of the Republic of the Congo, commune. Constituting t ...
to Ngobila Beach. ***** Shipyard Department (''Département de chantier naval''): overseeing the 3 shipyards (Ndolo in Kinshasa; Boma; Boera in
Mbandaka Mbandaka (, formerly known as Coquilhatville in French, or Coquilhatstad in Dutch) is a city in the Democratic Republic of Congo located near the confluence of the Congo and Ruki rivers. It is the capital of Équateur Province. The city was f ...
), including maintenance,
careening Careening (also known as "heaving down") is a method of gaining access to the hull of a sailing vessel without the use of a dry dock. It is used for cleaning or repairing the hull. Before ship's hulls were protected from marine growth by fasten ...
, repair of boats, and manufacturing of new river units. **** Logistical or non-operational support departments: These departments include: ***** Technical Department (''Département technique''): managing all technical sectors of operational entities. ***** Human Resources Department (''Département des ressources humaines''): responsible for administrative management and staff training. ***** General Services Department (''Département des services généraux''): overseeing real estate, construction, hospitals, social affairs, agro-food establishments, and more. ***** Financial Department (''Département financier''): managing the accounting and financial assets of SCTP. ***** Department of Organization and General Studies (''Département de l'organisation et étudesgénérales''): leading change in the company, including restructuring and the development of the company's
development plan A development plan sets out a local authority's policies and proposals for land use in their area. The term is usually used in the United Kingdom. A local plan is one type of development plan. The development plan guides and shapes day-to-day de ...
. ***** Internal Audit Department (''Département de l'audit interne''): ensuring prior and posteriori control, which involves accounting and financial audit, audit of functions, and operation of the general management staff, including commercial, marketing, legal, police, and central control management structures.


History


Colonial era and post-independence


Office d'Exploitation des Transports Coloniaux

The Office d'Exploitation des Transports Coloniaux (OTRACO) was instituted by the Belgian government on 20 April 1935. Its foundational mandate was the centralization and management of transportation services, encompassing the handling, transshipment, and related operations within the
Belgian Congo The Belgian Congo (, ; ) was a Belgian colonial empire, Belgian colony in Central Africa from 1908 until independence in 1960 and became the Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville). The former colony adopted its present name, the Democratic Repu ...
and the territories of
Ruanda-Urundi Ruanda-Urundi (), later Rwanda-Burundi, was a geopolitical entity, once part of German East Africa, that was occupied by troops from the Belgian Congo during the East African campaign in World War I and was administered by Belgium under milit ...
. OTRACO's establishment was not merely a bureaucratic decision but a strategic move by the colonial administration to consolidate control over the vital transportation networks crucial for economic exploitation and administrative control of the vast territories. The first railway company subsumed under OTRACO was the government-owned Société de Chemin de Fer du Mayumbe, which had previously been administered by the Régie du Chemin de Fer du Mayumbe. This management transfer was formalized through a
Royal Decree A decree is a legal proclamation, usually issued by a head of state, judge, royal figure, or other relevant authorities, according to certain procedures. These procedures are usually defined by the constitution, Legislative laws, or customary l ...
(''Arrêté Royal'') on 17 July 1935, with retroactive effect from 31 December 1934. A subsequent decree issued by the Minister of the Colonies on 23 November 1935, further delineated OTRACO's responsibilities and authority in overseeing the Société de Chemin de Fer du Mayumbe, which effectively placed it under the jurisdiction of the Administrator-General of the Colonies.


Expansion and consolidation

On 16 March 1936, the colonial government, through an accord between its Minister of the Colonies and the Compagnie du Chemin de Fer du Congo (CCFC), assumed full ownership of the railway line, effectively nationalizing it by exchanging colonial government bonds with a nominal value of 500
francs The franc is any of various units of currency. One franc is typically divided into 100 centimes. The name is said to derive from the Latin inscription ''francorum rex'' ( King of the Franks) used on early French coins and until the 18th centur ...
and an interest rate of 4 percent per annum for the outstanding shares. On 22 June 1936, the company further expanded its reach by taking over the assets and liabilities of the Union Nationale des Transports Fluviaux (Unatra), a company that owned a substantial fleet of
riverboats A riverboat is a watercraft designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury u ...
,
tugboats A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, such ...
, and
barges A barge is typically a flat-bottomed vessel which does not have its own means of mechanical propulsion. Original use was on inland waterways, while modern use is on both inland and marine water environments. The first modern barges were pull ...
. This fleet operated extensive river transport services across the Belgian Congo, including a 1,723-kilometer route from
Léopoldville Kinshasa (; ; ), formerly named Léopoldville from 1881–1966 (), is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa is one of the world's fastest-growing megacities, with an estimated population of 17 million ...
(now
Kinshasa Kinshasa (; ; ), formerly named Léopoldville from 1881–1966 (), is the Capital city, capital and Cities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa is one of the world's fastest-grow ...
) to Stanleyville (now
Kisangani Kisangani (), formerly Stanleyville (), is the capital of Tshopo, Tshopo Province, located on the Congo River in the eastern part of the central Congo Basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is the country's fifth-most populous urban a ...
). The colonial government guaranteed substantial annual payments to Unatra for a period of 40 years, ensuring the amortization of the company's capital while OTRACO took over operational control. This expansion was formalized by a Royal Decree on 31 July 1936, designating OTRACO as the operating company for Unatra as of 1 September 1936. By a
ministerial decree A ministerial decree or ministerial order is a decree by a ministry. With a ministerial decree the administrative department is delegated the task to impose a formal judgement or mandate. Ministerial decrees are usually imposed under the authorit ...
on 30 September 1936, the colony substituted OTRACO for CCFC in executing the provisions of the conventions of 3 September 1929 and 29 December 1931, respectively, between the railroad and the Société pour la Manutention dans les Ports du Congo, which managed the handling, discharge, and transshipment of
freight In transportation, cargo refers to goods transported by land, water or air, while freight refers to its conveyance. In economics, freight refers to goods transported at a freight rate for commercial gain. The term cargo is also used in ...
at the port of
Matadi Matadi is the chief sea port of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the capital of the Kongo Central province, adjacent to the border with Angola. It had a population of 245,862 (2004). Matadi is situated on the left bank of the Congo River, ...
, and the Compagnie Industrielle et de Transport au Stanley-Pool (CITAS), which held a similar concession in the port of Léopoldville.


From Office d'Exploitation des Transports au Congo to Office National des Transports

Following the country's independence in the 1960s, the entity was rebranded as the Office d'Exploitation des Transports au Congo (OTRACO). Retaining the structure and operational framework, OTRACO became integral to the Congolese economy and saw the appointment of Jacques Mbilo as the first Congolese president of the management board in 1961. The company managed a vast transportation network that included the ports of
Banana A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large treelike herbaceous flowering plants in the genus '' Musa''. In some countries, cooking bananas are called plantains, distinguishing the ...
, Boma, Matadi, and Kinshasa; the railroad linking Kinshasa to N'Djili International Airport; river transport on the Congo and Kasai rivers; several inland river ports; a road transport company in
Kivu Province Kivu Province was a province in the Belgian Congo, originally called Costermansville Province, that was formed in 1933 from part of the old Orientale Province. The Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville) became independent in 1960, and between 196 ...
; and the
Kongo Central Kongo Central (), formerly Bas-Congo, is one of the 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its capital is Matadi. History At the time of independence, the area now encompassing Kongo Central was part of the greater province of ...
railroads from Matadi to Kinshasa and Boma to
Tshela Tshela (or Tsela) is the main town of Bas-fleuve district in Kongo Central Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The town was linked to the port of Boma by an isolated narrow gauge railway A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroa ...
. OTRACO emerged as the largest employer in the country and administered multiple training schools for employees in the transportation sector.In the late 1960s, OTRACO confronted increasing competition and logistical challenges as the government endeavored to modernize and expand the transportation infrastructure. By 1965, OTRACO's river fleet had grown to encompass 158 powerboats and 874
barges A barge is typically a flat-bottomed vessel which does not have its own means of mechanical propulsion. Original use was on inland waterways, while modern use is on both inland and marine water environments. The first modern barges were pull ...
, with a total capacity of 286,960 tons. To meet the demands of the expanding economy, the company invested in more powerful and efficient vessels in mid-1969, including three mail boats, three passenger barges, and 16 tank barges with a capacity of 450 metric tons for
palm oil Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from the mesocarp (reddish pulp) of the fruit of oil palms. The oil is used in food manufacturing, in beauty products, and as biofuel. Palm oil accounted for about 36% of global oils produced from o ...
. Despite these expansions, OTRACO faced significant logistical challenges, particularly the necessity to develop an all-rail route from Katanga to Matadi. The existing transportation network, reliant on transshipments, was susceptible to disruptions, including attacks by guerrilla groups in neighboring countries. To address these vulnerabilities, the government commissioned feasibility studies for a new railroad link to close the 440-mile gap between Port-Francqui (now
Ilebo Ilebo, formerly known as Port-Francqui, is a town in Kasai province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, lying at the highest navigable point of the Kasaï River. It is an important transport hub for ferries to Kinshasa and trains to Lubumbashi. ...
) and Kinshasa. The proposed link was estimated to require an investment of approximately $150 million in foreign exchange and an equivalent amount in local currency. In 1971, OTRACO was restructured and rebranded as the Office National des Transports (ONATRA). In 1973, ONATRA transported a record high of 410,871 passengers. However, its monopoly was removed in 1977, allowing private entities to enter the market as shipowners. This deregulation led to a decline in passenger traffic, with only 121,779 passengers transported in 1982. As of 1982, ONATRA maintained a substantial operational fleet comprising 280 barges, 255 light barges, 85 tugboats, and 62 vessels designated for passenger service. In April 1991, ONATRA was restructured into a conglomerate comprising three components: Holding, OTP (''Office de Transport et de Port''), and OCN (''Office de Chantier Naval''). Following a decision by
Zaire Zaire, officially the Republic of Zaire, was the name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1971 to 18 May 1997. Located in Central Africa, it was, by area, the third-largest country in Africa after Sudan and Algeria, and the 11th-la ...
's transitional government, Holding ONATRA was dissolved, with its groups reformed into a singular ONATRA entity prior to 1991. The
Second Congo War The Second Congo War, also known as Africa's World War or the Great War of Africa, was a major conflict that began on 2 August 1998, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, just over a year after the First Congo War. The war initially erupted ...
further impeded traffic along the
Congo River The Congo River, formerly also known as the Zaire River, is the second-longest river in Africa, shorter only than the Nile, as well as the third-largest river in the world list of rivers by discharge, by discharge volume, following the Amazon Ri ...
beyond
Mbandaka Mbandaka (, formerly known as Coquilhatville in French, or Coquilhatstad in Dutch) is a city in the Democratic Republic of Congo located near the confluence of the Congo and Ruki rivers. It is the capital of Équateur Province. The city was f ...
, resulting in a cessation of operations. Challenges related to port congestion at
Matadi Matadi is the chief sea port of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the capital of the Kongo Central province, adjacent to the border with Angola. It had a population of 245,862 (2004). Matadi is situated on the left bank of the Congo River, ...
in July 2005 were compounded by outdated equipment and the accumulation of over 4,000 containers at the port. Anatole Kikwa Mwata Mukambu, the deputy commercial director of ONATRA in Matadi, characterized this congestion as "artificial", indicating that it was not solely attributed to logistical inefficiencies but was also influenced by external factors. Introduction of new machinery and resolutions implemented towards the end of the year ultimately alleviated the port's congestion issues. In June 2006, the company's Management Committee was suspended by Minister of Transport and Communications, Eva Mwakasa, who alleged that the committee had not addressed their demands, particularly concerning wage increases and housing. However, Minister of Portfolio Célestin Vunabandi Kanyamihigo opposed this suspension, arguing that the appointment or dismissal of a management committee should be determined by a government decision or through consultations between the technical and administrative supervision ministries. The suspension resulted in a significant schism among ONATRA's staff, with two factions emerging: one in favor of the new committee appointed by Mwakasa, accusing the former management of mismanagement and embezzlement, and another opposing the changes. In July 2006, ONATRA encountered a significant upheaval due to a
strike Strike may refer to: People *Strike (surname) * Hobart Huson, author of several drug related books Physical confrontation or removal *Strike (attack), attack with an inanimate object or a part of the human body intended to cause harm * Airstrike, ...
instigated by a Presidential Decree, which conferred exclusive authority to the ''Office des Douanes et Accises'' (OFIDA) to levy and collect import revenues at Matadi Port. This shift rendered OFIDA the sole intermediary for importers and exporters, assuming the responsibilities of tax and fee collection previously managed by ONATRA and other public entities at the port. Consequently, ONATRA's role was reduced to receiving only retrocessions for its operational expenses. The strike led to a week-long cessation of operations at Matadi Port, resulting in the clearance of approximately three thousand tons of goods and thirty-five vehicles once work resumed. In August 2006, ONATRA marked a milestone when a vessel docked at its public port in
Kisangani Kisangani (), formerly Stanleyville (), is the capital of Tshopo, Tshopo Province, located on the Congo River in the eastern part of the central Congo Basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is the country's fifth-most populous urban a ...
for the first time in a decade, arriving from Kinshasa. This event symbolized the traffic revival between the Tshopo Province and Kinshasa, with the ship carrying roughly fifty passengers and 2,000 tons of essential goods. Despite challenges such as inadequate buoyage and dredging, this resumption was deemed critical in rejuvenating regional economic activities, with ONATRA's Management Committee urging economic stakeholders in Tshopo Province and surrounding areas to seize this opportunity to invigorate the local economy. In February 2007, another strike hit Matadi Port, spurred by discontent among workers over the Managing Director's refusal to engage in negotiations concerning demands related to precautionary measures for agent recruitment and the disbursement of "mileage allowances". This industrial action effectively paralyzed port and station activities, with three-quarters of ONATRA's services, including those of OFIDA and OCC (''Office Congolais de Contrôle''), grinding to a halt, leaving only import and export services operational. In November 2007, the provincial governor of
Kongo Central Kongo Central (), formerly Bas-Congo, is one of the 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its capital is Matadi. History At the time of independence, the area now encompassing Kongo Central was part of the greater province of ...
officiated a ceremony commemorating the acquisition and commissioning of new equipment at Matadi Port. This procurement, financed through ONATRA's resources, constituted a substantial investment of approximately $14 million. The newly acquired machinery, displayed in front of ONATRA's administrative building at the port, comprised thirty-six Dasson-brand
elevators An elevator (American English) or lift (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English) is a machine that vertically transports people or freight between levels. They are typically powered by electric motors that drive tracti ...
, each with a lifting capacity of up to four tons. This procurement was part of the second phase of machinery enhancements, which also included a 45-tonne self-crane and ten additional elevators already operational at the port. The following month, ONATRA and ''
Société Nationale des Chemins de fer du Congo Groupe Lactalis S.A. (doing business as Lactalis) is a French multinational dairy products corporation, owned by the Besnier family and based in Laval, Mayenne, France. The company's former name was Besnier S.A. Lactalis is the largest dairy p ...
'' (SNCC) were integrated under unified management pursuant to a governmental reorganization initiative. ONATRA entered into a strategic partnership with the Franco-Spanish firm Progoza, while SNCC collaborated with the Belgian railway operator Vecturis. This endeavor aimed to modernize both companies through technical assistance contracts, without resorting to
privatization Privatization (rendered privatisation in British English) can mean several different things, most commonly referring to moving something from the public sector into the private sector. It is also sometimes used as a synonym for deregulation w ...
. However, this move elicited concerns among employees, particularly at ONATRA, over the absence of consultations and the potential ramifications for
job security Job security is the probability that an individual will keep their job; a job with a high level of security is such that a person with the job would have a small chance of losing it. Many factors threaten job security: globalization, outsourcing ...
. Minister of Portfolio
Jeanine Mabunda Jeanine Mabunda Lioko Mudiayi (born 10 April 1964) is a Congolese lawyer and politician who in 2019 became the first woman elected to lead the Democratic Republic of the Congo's National Assembly. She was impeached on December 10, 2020, through a ...
reassured that the Congolese State would retain ownership, emphasizing that the partnerships were solely focused on enhancing management and operational efficiency. During this period, Progosa's managers worked in tandem with Congolese officials to address the company's challenges. In 2008, the Boyera Shipyard in Mbandaka, ONATRA's second shipyard in the country following N'dolo in Kinshasa, encountered substantial difficulties as its dock had been relocated to Kinshasa earlier that year for boat repairs. In May 2008, a team of Congolese and expatriate leaders proposed by Progosa, including the
Managing Director A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...
and the
Technical Director A technical director (TD) is usually a senior technical person within e.g. a software company, engineering firm, film studio, theatre company or television studio. They are responsible for overseeing and coordinating all of the technical aspect ...
, was appointed to oversee ONATRA's stabilization. The stabilization initiative targeted ONATRA's critical condition, characterized by an aging workforce, obsolete and malfunctioning equipment, and a financial model that was draining state resources without contributing effectively. Progosa's mandate was to restructure ONATRA over the ensuing two years. The '' Comité de Pilotage de la Réforme des Entreprises Publiques'' (COPIREP) commended Progosa for its expertise and underscored the urgent need for reform. Nevertheless, the ONATRA union expressed concerns about the firm's familiarity with the company and criticized the significant salary disparities between expatriate and Congolese employees, alleging that the contract terms were disproportionately favorable to expatriates. Sylvestre Ilunga Ilunkamba, head of COPIREP, acknowledged the governance issues at ONATRA, emphasizing that the objective was not to overhaul the company entirely but to stabilize operations and halt its financial decline. In January 2009, in response to ONATRA's request to accelerate the loading and unloading processes at Matadi, the Flour Mill of Matadi S.A. (''Minoterie de Matadi S.A.''; Midema), commissioned in 2005, was inaugurated on 14 February 2009, at a total investment of nearly $15 million. This terminal was anticipated to alleviate the load on Matadi Port. ONATRA's employees consistently received one month's salary out of the twenty-three months of
arrears In finance, arrears (or arrearage) is a legal term for the part of a debt that is overdue after missing one or more required payments. The amount of the arrears is the amount accrued from the date on which the first missed payment was due. The t ...
after expressing their grievances to the national Ministry of Portfolio, the provincial governor, and ONATRA's financial director in Kinshasa. However, other workers at Matadi Port halted operations, demanding the initiation of a
social dialogue Social dialogue (or social concertation) is the process whereby social partners (trade unions and employer organisations) negotiate, often in collaboration with the government, to influence the arrangement and development of work-related issues, l ...
with the employer regarding the issue of agent retirement and the adjustment of workers' salaries concerning the real exchange rate of the national currency against foreign currencies. The alliance between ONATRA and Progosa was dissolved on 7 March 2010. Following this, a delegation representing the entirety of the workforce called "union" was formed. The delegation voiced profound dissatisfaction with Progosa's two-year stewardship, citing a financial deficit amounting to eleven million dollars, ostensibly allocated for the procurement of four new
locomotives A locomotive is a rail vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. Traditionally, locomotives pulled trains from the front. However, push–pull operation has become common, and in the pursuit for longer and heavier freight train ...
. It was further observed that at the onset of Progosa's mandate, only two locomotives remained operational out of the original fleet of six. In May 2010, a shipment of 10,824 tons of
semolina Semolina is the name given to roughly milled durum wheat mainly used in making pasta and sweet puddings. The term ''semolina'' is also used to designate coarse millings of other varieties of wheat, and sometimes other grains (such as rice or ma ...
from
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
arrived at Matadi Port, with a portion of this cargo already being transacted at ONATRA's facility in the Matete commune. Within that same month, the company financed the rehabilitation of the fourth
quay A wharf ( or wharfs), quay ( , also ), staith, or staithe is a structure on the shore of a harbour or on the bank of a river or canal where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers. Such a structure includes one or more Berth (mo ...
at the Port of Matadi, a project which reached completion the following year at an estimated expenditure of approximately two million US dollars. A gubernatorial decree from the Governor of Équateur, issued on 13 July 2010, imposed a prohibition on vessels docking at private ports in
Mbandaka Mbandaka (, formerly known as Coquilhatville in French, or Coquilhatstad in Dutch) is a city in the Democratic Republic of Congo located near the confluence of the Congo and Ruki rivers. It is the capital of Équateur Province. The city was f ...
, mandating that all such vessels must henceforth berth at ONATRA's newly renovated public port in Kinshasa, which had been restored by the '' Entreprise Générale Malta Forrest'' (EGMF).


Société Commerciale des Transports et des Ports

In December 2010, ONATRA was reconstituted as a
limited liability company A limited liability company (LLC) is the United States-specific form of a private limited company. It is a business structure that can combine the pass-through taxation of a partnership or sole proprietorship with the limited liability of ...
and renamed ''Société Commerciale des Transports et des Ports'' (SCTP). The new corporate statutes were officially ratified on 24 December. On 7 February 2011, SCTP received an acquisition of 13 new passenger
railcars A railcar (not to be confused with the generic term railroad car, railroad car or railway car) is a self-propelled Rail transport, railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a trai ...
in Kinshasa, a procurement made possible through a collaborative venture between the Congolese government and the Belgian Technical Cooperation. In August 2012, Beach Ngobila in Kinshasa, a critical port for passenger
embarkation Embarkment (sometimes embarcation or embarkation) is the process of loading a passenger ship or an airplane An airplane (American English), or aeroplane (Commonwealth English), informally plane, is a fixed-wing aircraft that is propelled f ...
and
disembarkation Disembarkation or debarcation/debarkation is the process of leaving a ship or aircraft, or removing goods from a ship or aircraft. ( ''debark'': from the French ''des'' meaning "from", and, ''barque'', meaning "small ship"). Civilian The loadin ...
traversing the
Congo River The Congo River, formerly also known as the Zaire River, is the second-longest river in Africa, shorter only than the Nile, as well as the third-largest river in the world list of rivers by discharge, by discharge volume, following the Amazon Ri ...
between Kinshasa and
Brazzaville Brazzaville () is the capital (political), capital and largest city of the Republic of the Congo. Administratively, it is a Departments of the Republic of the Congo, department and a Communes of the Republic of the Congo, commune. Constituting t ...
, was transferred under SCTP's jurisdiction. In that same month,
Republic of the Congo The Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, the Congo Republic or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo), is a country located on the western coast of Central ...
enacted a closure of its land and river borders with the Democratic Republic of the Congo in observance of the 52nd anniversary of its independence, which significantly exacerbated the prevailing port congestion at Beach Ngobila. After more than a decade-long hiatus, SCTP heralded in September 2013 the recommencement of urban train services on the Kintambo Central Station line, alongside the ongoing advancement of various railway infrastructure projects. The following year, in May, SCTP procured three new reconditioned locomotives, sourced from
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
by the Congolese government, to facilitate freight operations between Matadi and Kinshasa. These two locomotives, each with a price tag of $1.3 million, could haul approximately 800 tons, in stark contrast to the outdated SCTP locomotives, which had a capacity of between 350 and 400 tons. That same month, SCTP reported a precipitous decline in revenues from Congo River crossings, which plummeted from 10 to 2 million Congolese francs (approximately 10,840 to 2,168 US dollars) per day since the commencement of the "''Mbata ya mikolo''" operation—a mass expulsion of approximately 100,000 Congolese nationals from Brazzaville, initiated in April 2014. The residual two million francs were generated solely by fast boat services, as the ferry crossing was predominantly free and almost exclusively one-way, from Brazzaville to Kinshasa. On 19 June, thirty-eight "illegal" taxes within the river and lake sectors of the Democratic Republic of the Congo were abrogated by an interministerial decree endorsed by nine government officials. After undergoing rehabilitation since 8 January 2013, initiated by the Minister of Transport and Channels of Communication, Justin Kalumba, and financed by the Congolese Government at a cost of 2.5 million US dollars, SCTP's ITB Kokolo vessel was unveiled on 7 February 2015 by President
Joseph Kabila Joseph Kabila Kabange ( , ; born 4 June 1971) is a Congolese politician and former military officer who served as the fourth President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2001 to 2019. He took office ten days after the assassination o ...
, intended for the conveyance of passengers and cargo along the Congo River between Kinshasa and Kisangani, with stopovers in Mbandaka,
Lisala Lisala is the capital of the Mongala Province in northwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Congo River flows through the city. Its Cathédrale Saint-Hermès is the cathedral episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lisala. It i ...
, Bumba, and
Basoko Basoko is a town on the Congo River in the Tshopo Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. As of 2009 it had an estimated population of 47,970. Climate Notable people *George Grenfell George Grenfell (21 August 1849, in Sancre ...
. The vessel embarked on its maiden voyage on 16 April 2015, departing Kinshasa for Kisangani, with subsequent port calls in Mbandaka on 21 April, before finally docking at SCTP's port in Kisangani on 29 April after a 13-day voyage, and later departed the port with approximately 1,200 tons of goods bound for Kinshasa. As part of executing the Multimodal Transport Project (''Projet de Transport Multimodal'') in collaboration with the Congolese government and its partners, designed to improve regional access in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to promote economic unification, the SCTP marked the relaunch of
Matadi–Kinshasa Railway The Matadi–Kinshasa Railway ( French: ''Chemin de fer Matadi-Kinshasa'') is a railway line in Kongo Central province between Kinshasa, the capital of Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the port of Matadi. The Matadi–Kinshasa Railway was bu ...
traffic on 22 August after a seven-year hiatus, with the aim to speed up port goods clearance and enhance the sale of local agricultural products by residents near the railway stations to train passengers. On 15 June 2016, a new seaport called "Mbengu Matadi", commercially known as Matadi Gateway Terminal (MGT) was inaugurated in Matadi on the far left of the Pont Maréchal (now Matadi Bridge) along the Congo River, featuring a quay finished in heavy concrete, a landing stage, and two multi-storey buildings. The first ship docked at the port during its inauguration. On 6 December 2020, SCPT's president, Armand Ossasse, issued a statement condemning the redirection of seven ships to private ports, where they docked without oversight and evaded tax payments, urging the government to shut down all unauthorized and clandestine private ports. In the prior month, approximately eighteen ships were redirected to private ports, and later in December, seven more ships were diverted, causing a significant financial loss for the SCPT. He also demanded the settlement of 33 months of overdue salaries and the recovery of a $207 million debt from the Congolese state. However, earlier on 20 August of that year, President
Félix Tshisekedi Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo (; born 13 June 1963) is a Congolese politician who has served as the fifth president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, since 2019. He was the leader of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (Demo ...
had instructed the
Minister of the Interior An interior minister (sometimes called a minister of internal affairs or minister of home affairs) is a cabinet official position that is responsible for internal affairs, such as public security, civil registration and identification, emergency ...
, the
Minister of Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice, is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...
, and the
Minister of Transport A ministry of transport or transportation is a ministry responsible for transportation within a country. It usually is administered by the ''minister for transport''. The term is also sometimes applied to the departments or other government a ...
to take action and implement the decisions to shut down all illegal ports in Kongo-Central, but no action was taken. The next year in October, ninety-seven out of one hundred and twenty containers of equipment meant for building the ''Cimenterie de la grande Province Orientale'' (CIPOR) disappeared from Kinshasa. Only 23 were discovered at the SCPT's port. On 19 January 2022, the Minister of Transport,
Chérubin Okende Senga Chérubin Okende Senga (5 October 1961 – 13 July 2023) was a Democratic Republic of the Congo, Congolese politician of . He served as Minister of Transport and Communication from 2021 to 2022. He also served as technical administrator of Ligne ...
, and the governor of Kinshasa, Gentiny Ngobila Mbaka, formalized the creation of a new transport company, Métro-Kin, with the signing of its constitutive act in Kinshasa, tasked with the challenge of revitalizing, modernizing, and managing the 300-kilometer-long railway system in Kinshasa under SCTP's oversight. In August 2022, SCTP initiated a refurbishment program for more than 20 boats to serve the Mbandaka, Kisangani, Kasaï, and
Sankuru Sankuru is one of the 21 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the 2015 repartitioning. Sankuru, Kasaï-Oriental, and Lomami provinces are the result of the dismemberment of the former Kasaï-Oriental province. Sankuru ...
river routes, with the newly restored M/B Luberu ship set to sail from Kinshasa to Mbandaka, accompanied by a passenger barge and three cargo vessels for goods. In August 2023, the company received the claimed $207 million and appealed to the new Management Committee to reinstate river transportation in the country with ten vessels and 20 barges, as well as the recommencement of express and cargo rail services between Kinshasa and Matadi. SCTP's newly renovated quay at the Port of Matadi welcomed its inaugural commercial ship in December 2023, loaded with 6,000 tons of goods, which bodes well for the upcoming commercial season.


Network

The network includes: * Matadi-Kinshasa Railway, under an agreement with the Congo Railroad Company; *Rivers and lakes network ** From Boma to
Banana A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large treelike herbaceous flowering plants in the genus '' Musa''. In some countries, cooking bananas are called plantains, distinguishing the ...
(ferry ''Kalamu''); **
River Congo The Congo River, formerly also known as the Zaire River, is the second-longest river in Africa, shorter only than the Nile, as well as the third-largest river in the world by discharge volume, following the Amazon and Ganges rivers. It is the w ...
and
Kasai River The Kasai River (, ; called Cassai in Angola) is a left bank tributary of the Congo River, located in Central Africa. The river begins in central Angola and flows to the east until it reaches the border between Angola and the Democratic Republ ...
(and their tributaries); *Ports ** Ocean ports of
Matadi Matadi is the chief sea port of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the capital of the Kongo Central province, adjacent to the border with Angola. It had a population of 245,862 (2004). Matadi is situated on the left bank of the Congo River, ...
and Boma ** River ports
Kinshasa Kinshasa (; ; ), formerly named Léopoldville from 1881–1966 (), is the Capital city, capital and Cities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa is one of the world's fastest-grow ...
,
Mbandaka Mbandaka (, formerly known as Coquilhatville in French, or Coquilhatstad in Dutch) is a city in the Democratic Republic of Congo located near the confluence of the Congo and Ruki rivers. It is the capital of Équateur Province. The city was f ...
and
Kisangani Kisangani (), formerly Stanleyville (), is the capital of Tshopo, Tshopo Province, located on the Congo River in the eastern part of the central Congo Basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is the country's fifth-most populous urban a ...


2022 fire damages on the SCTP headquarters

On July 25, 2022, a
conflagration A conflagration is a large fire in the built environment that spreads via structure to structure ignition due to radiant or convective heat, or ember transmission. Conflagrations often damage human life, animal life, health, and/or property. A c ...
of "unknown origin" beset a section of the edifice housing the SCTP's principal offices. While the exact cause of the fire remains enigmatic, reports from Ouragan suggest that the inferno erupted at 1:00 a.m. Actualite reported that the fire ravaged the windows and "unrecognizable sections of the imposing building." A contingent of firefighters quelled the
flames A flame () is the visible, gaseous part of a fire. It is caused by a highly exothermic chemical reaction made in a thin zone. When flames are hot enough to have ionized gaseous components of sufficient density, they are then considered plasma. ...
, while police officers were deployed on the ground to cordon off the disaster scene.


See also

*
Rail transport in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Rail transport is provided in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by the ''Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer du Congo'' (SNCC), the Société commerciale des transports et des ports (SCTP) ''(previously Office National des Transports' ...
*
Transport in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Ground transport in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has always been problematic. Despite other countries being able to conquer terrain and climate similar to that of the Congo Basin it is chronic economic mismanagement and internal confli ...


Notes


References


External links


Office National des Transports du RDC
{{Africa in topic, Rail transport in Railway companies of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Transport companies established in 1935 1935 establishments in the Belgian Congo Transport in Kinshasa