The construction of Rubavu port stands at 96 percent and the port is set to open in December, The New Times has learnt.

Rubavu port, the biggest in Rwanda, is expected to boost tourism and cross-border trade between Rwanda and DR Congo upon completion.

According to the Acting Mayor of Rubavu district, Déogratias Nzabonimpa, “a provisional handover is scheduled for November 30.”

“The port is at 96 percent; it’s almost completed despite some ongoing fishing works. It will be handed over by this month and the first ship, if available, will be allowed to access it by December 1,” Nzabonimpa added.

Located in Rubavu District at Lake Kivu, and on an area spanning 2 hectares, the port “will reduce costs of trade flows along Lake Kivu” as well as bolster the region as a tourism destination.

“It is interesting to the community around here and the whole district at large. I see the port as a game changer that is going to increase the movement of people. We will be able to accommodate more guests and receive more clients, which is good news,” Trésor Hategekimana, who works at Paradis Malahide Resort, said.

“I transport cement from here to Goma [in DR Congo] and the current port is too small to accommodate all the boats navigating Lake Kivu. But with this new and bigger port, business is going to become easier,” Elisha Mporanyi, a Goma resident, told the New Times while touring the site.

According to Société centrale pour l’équipement du Territoire (SCET-Tunisie), the company overseeing the construction of the project, the facility is divided into two main parts: a cargo terminal and a passenger terminal designated for both business and tourism sectors.

Developed by the government of Rwanda through the Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA) with the support of TradeMark Africa and Invest International, the port can handle 1.4 million passengers, annually. Upon completion, it will have cost $7.8 million.