On 16 August 2024, the renovated Chantal Biya grab hopper dredger docked at the Port of Douala after spending two years at Port Harcourt in Nigeria for repairs. The vessel was officially received at the Douala-Bonaberi port by the Director General of the Port Authority of Douala (PAD), Mr. Cyrus Ngo'o.

Amongst the many guests present at the ceremony were Mr. Louis Eboupeke, General Manager of the National Ports Authority (NPA) and Mr. Auguste Mbappe Penda, General Manager of the Cameroon National Shippers' Council (CNSC). Everyone in attendance applauded this initiative by PAD which led to the majestic return of Cameroon's flagship vessel, the Chantal Biya dredger.

At the ceremony, Mr. Cyrus Ngo'o stated that “this addition to the port’s fleet will greatly bolster the Port of Douala's policy of carrying out its own dredging operations”. He also promised to take necessary measures to ensure the vessel is properly kept in good working order.  His remarks were complemented by Mr. Auguste Mbappe Penda who noted that “the Chantal Biya dredger will further facilitate foreign trade cargo movements at the port and make the Douala port more competitive”.

The Chantal Biya dredger, a high-performance vessel given its technical specifications, is equipped with a range of features enabling the vessel to handle a variety of dredging works and clean sediments along the Wouri riverbed.