The head of state, speaking to the press after the inauguration of the TOBD, pointed out that the state oil company has "two large strategic infrastructures", namely the terminal now inaugurated and the Lobito Refinery.
"This is just the beginning. Sonangol has two large strategic infrastructures, one of which is this one, the Barra do Dande Ocean Terminal, which unfortunately was at a standstill for almost five years. We have resumed the project and now the time has come for its completion and inauguration," he said, quoted in a video released by CIPRA and to which VerAngola had access.
"The second is the Lobito refinery. This project has an end, but if we complete the works on the Lobito Refinery in the next few years, then we will be able to say that in terms of self-sufficiency in fuel production we will be fine, the country will be fine," he added.
João Lourenço also said that the delivery of the Cabinda Refinery is scheduled for this year: "The Cabinda Refinery is due to be delivered this year".
Furthermore, the President of the Republic also said that it is necessary to build more fuel storage infrastructures in the provinces of Huíla, Moxico Leste and Cuando.
"(...) Both the minister and the CEO of Sonangol, in their speeches at this inauguration event, referred to the construction of more fuel storage infrastructures, and they specifically mentioned the city of Lubango, but we cannot forget that the country now has three new provinces and of these three I would like to highlight those that are further away, the province of Moxico Leste and the province of Cuango, these will also have to benefit from fuel storage capacities (...)", he pointed out.
He was also asked about fuel smuggling, and assured that the fight against this practice will continue: "The project will not contribute to the fight against fuel smuggling. The fight against fuel smuggling is up to men. With or without this project, fuel smuggling exists, it is a reality (...). We have already done the fight against fuel smuggling, perhaps not enough, we will continue this fight (...)".
Before cutting the ribbon and unveiling the TOBD plaque, the President of the Republic, accompanied by the First Lady of the Republic, Ana Dias Lourenço, watched a video presentation about the history of the infrastructure, as well as visiting the terminal.
At the ceremony, according to a note from the Presidency of the Republic, commercial agreements were also signed that "link the new storage terminal to at least nine players in the energy market". The memorandums were signed between Sonangol and companies that will operate at the terminal, namely BP, Vitol, Trafigura, Sahara, Gemcorp, Sinochem, Glencore, Atenoc and Total.
The TOBD is a "gigantic storage field for petroleum products, which in this first phase has 16 tanks with a total storage capacity of 582,000 cubic meters of fuel, distributed as follows: 320,000 cubic meters of diesel, 160,000 cubic meters of gasoline and 120,000 cubic meters of LPG (cooking gas)".
According to Angop, it also has a 1700-meter jetty to accommodate large ships. The project also built lines of more than 500 linear meters for the transfer of fuel, which must be stored in various tanks.
While in the second stage, depending on market demand, storage capacity can reach up to 728,500 cubic meters of fuel.
According to the Presidency, the work began in 2012 and, in 2016, was interrupted for a period of five years. "In 2021, its construction process was resumed", having entered into operation this Monday.
This terminal cost 700 million dollars, an investment fully supported by Sonangol.
More than 2000 jobs (97 percent national staff) were generated by this project which, according to the construction company, is the largest fuel storage center in the country, occupying an area equivalent to 22 football fields.
