The MCDF grant will seek to facilitate investment in the ports and maritime sector by addressing data gaps and measuring port performance.

The activities to be financed by the grant will include a port data book that provides performance data for Africa’s ports and maritime transport sector as well as practical information on each of the continent’s main ports; a web-based tool for securely collecting, storing, and retrieving African port data; and an African ports index with benchmarking sub-indices that cover key thematic areas in port operations and development planning.

The MCDF grant will help improve data availability and quality in port performance management and inform decisions by relevant stakeholders on potential connectivity investment in the ports and maritime sector.