AGL handles cargo weighing up to 83 tonnes in Zanzibar

AGL has completed a heavy-lift operation at Zanzibar Multipurpose Terminal, discharging 28 cargo units from the MV BBC MACAU within 72 hours. The cargo included a new dredger and several heavy cargo parcels, with individual packages weighing up to 83 tonnes. The operation required different lifting configurations based on the weight and handling requirements of each package.

AGL used its slings and spreader to handle a 45-tonne package, while the vessel’s own lifting gear was used for an 83-tonne package. The operation required coordination between the teams and careful selection of lifting equipment to manage the different cargo weights safely and efficiently. AGL said skilled and well-trained teams are critical to heavy-lift operations, where lifting requirements can vary significantly between cargo units. The company also highlighted regular training programmes as an important part of developing the capabilities needed to handle specialised cargo.

Announced in West Africa, SITARAIL, an AGL subsidiary, is strengthening its rail freight capacity with four new diesel-electric GL30 locomotives. The locomotives were presented to Ivorian and Burkinabe authorities in February 2026 and are intended to support multimodal transport between Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso. The new locomotives are expected to strengthen SITARAIL’s operational capacity and support the movement of cargo between the two countries. AGL sees rail as a complementary transport solution that can contribute to more multimodal and less carbon-intensive logistics chains.

In Senegal, AGL has also been implementing a circular economy initiative through a partnership with a local company specialising in waste collection, recycling and recovery. Under the programme, paper and cardboard waste is collected and transformed into honeycomb trays for egg protection and packaging. The trays are then used by local farmers and producers. The initiative recovered more than nine tonnes of paper waste in 2025 and produced around 150,000 honeycomb trays. More than 75 young people are involved in the treatment and recovery activities, according to AGL.