The deadline was originally slated for June 18, 2019 at 12:00 p.m. was extended following the request of shortlisted candidates. The shortlisted candidates include French CMA Terminals, Emirati Dubai Port World, Hutchison Port Investments Limited, Caiman Islands, Saudi Red Sea Gateway Terminal and Geneva-based Terminal Investment Ltd.

Since 2005, Bolloré Ports says it has broadly investment in the terminal, in order to modernise the infrastructures. It also says it has increased the container storage areas to acquire new equipment and to optimise the terminal operating system.

More than 300 people have been employed in the Bolloré Ports terminal, which it says, have gone through its employee training programme. The number of containers processed at the Douala terminal were said to have increased by more than 60% between 2005 and 2016. An increase the group says, is as a result of its performance over the years.

However the company is currently facing challenges in other sectors of its operations. It was sued last month by Nongovernmental organisations and unions by a Paris-based Sherpa, that urged the group to improve working conditions on its palm oil plantation in Cameroon.

The NGOs explained the lawsuit, was aimed to force French judges was to force the Bolloré group, to comply with the commitments it made it 2013 to the local communities and plantation workers of SOCAPALM.