Serport Unveils Strategy for Regional Logistics Hub Role
Serport, Algeria's public port services group, has initiated a new strategic roadmap designed to bolster port efficiency, reduce cargo-handling delays, and position Algeria as a significant logistics hub bridging Mediterranean and African markets. This comprehensive strategy, outlined by CEO Ali Boulaaras, emphasizes the critical role of the port sector, which handles approximately 95% of the nation's external trade. The overarching plan encompasses infrastructure enhancements, greater port specialisation, increased handling capacity, and widespread digitalisation.
Recent operational achievements underscore the potential of these initiatives. In 2025, Algerian ports managed 133 million tonnes of goods, a 4% increase, while the number of vessels processed rose by 12% to 16,923. Container traffic also saw a 19% surge, exceeding 2 million units. The introduction of continuous 24/7 operations has notably reduced vessel waiting times at anchorage by 24% and average time at berth by 13%, with container-terminal occupancy dropping significantly from 110% to below 40%. The port of Mostaganem is pioneering the new specialisation model, focusing on import and export operations for public-sector companies and featuring an inaugurated logistics platform, with a five-hectare expansion underway. Concurrently, Serport is prioritizing the expansion of the phosphate port in Annaba, a project set for commissioning in March 2027, expected to add 8-10 million tonnes of annual activity and reinforce mineral product exports.
To further integrate national and international trade, Serport is developing three major logistics corridors—central, eastern, and western—designed to link industrial, agricultural, and mining production zones with key ports such as Annaba, Djen Djen, and Oran. Digitalisation remains a central pillar of this strategy, with the Serport subsidiary APCS expanding its digital platform to facilitate electronic integration across customs, banks, insurers, shippers, and shipping agents, aiming to diminish administrative delays and optimize cargo flows. Additionally, human resource development is being addressed through plans to establish a specialized training center for port professions in Mostaganem next year, focusing on continuous training and technical expertise transfer to workers and engineers.
