Nectar Sierra Leone Bulk Terminal (NSBT) is proud to mark its 10th Anniversary. We're incredibly grateful for the partnerships we've forged and the progress we have made in facilitating trade and driving economic growth in Sierra Leone.
Nectar Group’s presence in Sierra Leone can be traced back to the 1980’s when the Groups’ first operations in the country were handling rice imports on behalf of USAID and the World Food Programme. Today the Group’s presence expands on those early years and since 2015 the Group has been operating and maintaining the Bulk Cargo Terminal at Queen Elizabeth II Quay in Freetown.
This important milestone marks a decade of continuous improvement, operation and partnership at NSBT along with key stakeholders such as Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority and the Ministry of Transport.
Over the last decade, NSBT has invested in new and upgraded equipment, training of local personnel, terminal management software and the refurbishing existing warehouses and other facilities. A land lease in 2017, saw further enhancement such as additional office facilities and larger storage/warehousing capacity.
The company converted its operating licence into a concession in 2019, that enabled key long-term infrastructure improvements. As trade increased, it became apparent that the existing two berths were too small and insufficient to support the regions needs as importers were starting to bring larger vessels with increased cargo volumes.
Despite the COVID pandemic, the design for a new deep-water berth was completed in 2021, opened in 2024, and is now in its first year of operation. Today, NSBT operates three berths and is responsible for all the terminal’s activities from unloading of cargo from vessels, stacking, storage in port warehouses, loading onto trucks for inland destinations, as well as the procurement and maintenance of all terminal equipment.
We proudly remain committed to investing in Sierra Leone through our terminal improvement programmes, striving for industry best practices, and supporting our local communities in the region.
New Third Berth & Improvements
With an increased capacity and discharging operations at NSBT, the new third berth is a critical piece of infrastructure which facilitates a larger class of vessel size to call at the Freetown terminal, accommodating vessels of 225 metres and 12 metres operational draught (design draft of 13m).
The new berth has increased capacity at the port by more than 30%, strengthening customer supply chains with enhanced global connectivity, increased reliability, and quicker turnaround times. Cargo movements have contained shipments of bagged rice, flour, crude oil and aggregates.
With the new 3rd berth now fully operational, Sierra Leone’s port is better positioned to compete with other regional ports. This upgrade enhances the country’s attractiveness to global shipping lines and investors, setting the stage for long-term growth and integration into global trade networks.
Here's to the next decade of innovation, efficiency, and continued success!