Mauritius: French firm to construct new wharf in Les Salines

A French company has won the contract to build a new wharf in Les Salines in the outskirts of the Mauritian capital Port Louis, the Port Authority said on Monday.

The company, AFCONS Infrastructure Limited, will build the wharf to accommodate the increasing number of cruise liners plying the Indian Ocean, according to a statement issued by the Port Authority.

The statement said the port in Port Louis beat all records last year with a 10.3% increase in container traffic and a net increase of 12% in transshipment.

As a result, the port has become congested and it is imperative to build a new wharf especially meant for passenger liners that are berthing in Port Louis.

Last year more than 30 liners came to Mauritius and brought some 20,000 tourists, an increase of 153% from the previous year, according to the statement.

The government has voted a sum of $15 million for the construction which will start in March and is expected to end by September.