Huatong Pledges $900M to Develop Barra do Dande Port in Angola

On 20 July 2026, Chinese firm Huatong signed a concession agreement with Angola’s Barra do Dande Development Company to build and operate a new terminal at Barra do Dande port in Angola. The Concession is initially for a term of 25 years, without a renewal option upon expiry.

The cost of the project is estimated at USD 900 million and part of the financing will emanate from Berkshire Waterhouse Infrastructure Development. Half of the amount will cover the building of the new port terminal, while the other half will be used to upgrade supporting infrastructure. Joa Rufino from Berkshire Waterhouse clarified that financing will be released in phases as permits are issued and progress is made.

The Project will be implemented in three phases. The first phase will take 24 months and will build the new terminal. Later phases are planned for 2030, depending on future prevailing market conditions.

According to the preliminary feasibility study, the Project will generate more than USD 10 billion in turnover. The adjoining Dande Free Trade Zone is expected to create 21,000 jobs.

Huatong is already present in the Sino-Ord Integrated Industrial Park as Huatong Aluminum. The aluminum plant started production in January 2026 and generated some 1,200 direct jobs. For the aluminum project, Huatong has already invested USD 250 million into Angola.

The move by Huatong reflects a shift in China’s engagement with Africa. It would appear that China is favoring ‘small, yet beautiful’ projects backed by commercial entities, rather than large prestige projects backed by government loans. Figures show that China’s government lending to Africa dropped from a high of USD 30 billion in 2016 to just USD 2 billion in 2024.