Africa’s Major Ports Face New Winners and Losers as Shipping Routes Change

Maersk announced on October 22, 2026, that it would stop accepting cargo from Namibia’s Walvis Bay port for Europe and North America through its W13 service.

The service will continue handling shipments to Middle Eastern and African destinations, removing one export option for Namibian businesses trading with Western markets.

Red Sea attacks and disruptions in the Middle East have forced shipping companies to divert vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, increasing demand for marine fuel and port services along parts of Africa’s coastline. Some carriers have begun restoring selected sailings through the Suez Canal.

Maersk also announced revisions to its West African network in September and October, involving Lomé, Tema, Abidjan, Pointe-Noire and Tangier. The changes include adjustments to direct port calls and regional connections.

Walvis Bay faces a reduction in its international shipping connections as other African ports invest in container terminals and vessel services. The network revisions will redistribute some cargo-handling and transshipment activity among ports serving different trade routes.

Tanger Med Reports Higher Container Volumes and Port Profits

Morocco’s Tanger Med handled 11.1 million twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEUs) in 2025, an 8.4% increase from the previous year.

The port authority attributed the growth partly to additional handling capacity at Terminal TC4, operated by APM Terminals, as the port continued accommodating large container vessels serving international shipping networks.

Total cargo throughput reached 161 million tonnes, up 13.3%, although vessel calls declined 4.5% to 16,686. Of those arrivals, 1,319 involved ships longer than 290 metres, indicating that the port handled more cargo despite receiving fewer vessels.

Tanger Med Port Authority reported revenue of 4.43 billion Moroccan dirhams in 2025, an increase of 10.3%, while net profit climbed 22.3% to 1.82 billion dirhams.

The financial results accompanied higher cargo volumes and continued investment in the port’s container-handling facilities.

The port’s position at the entrance to the Mediterranean gives shipping companies access to Atlantic and Mediterranean services through a single transshipment location.

Its container terminals handle transfers between large international vessels and regional services serving European and African destinations.

This network allows Tanger Med to compete for cargo transfers that do not originate in Morocco or have the country as their final destination.

Cape Diversions Increase Fuel Demand at African Ports

Vessel diversions around the Cape of Good Hope rose 112% by early March 2026, according to Reuters, bringing additional marine fuel demand to ports serving ships on the longer southern African route.

Fuel suppliers have expanded operations at selected locations to accommodate vessels travelling between the Atlantic and Indian oceans.

Namibia has attracted additional bunkering business at Walvis Bay and Lüderitz, where marine fuel suppliers including Monjasa and Vitol have expanded their presence.

Their operations serve ships requiring fuel during voyages around southern Africa, creating business for ports that can accommodate refuelling without lengthy interruptions to sailing schedules.

Mauritius has also recorded higher demand for marine fuel at Port Louis, where bunker sales nearly doubled in 2024 during an earlier period of Red Sea disruption.

The increase brought additional fuel sales to the island’s suppliers as vessels sought refuelling locations along alternative routes across the Indian Ocean.

South Africa’s bunkering industry has faced regulatory restrictions and operational difficulties that have constrained its ability to attract similar business.

The restrictions have affected fuel-supply operations along its coastline, where suppliers compete with facilities in Namibia and Mauritius for vessels travelling around the Cape.

Maersk’s Network Changes Reshape African Cargo Connections

Maersk’s September 30, 2026, revision of its Europe–West Africa services changes how cargo moves between major container terminals and smaller regional ports.

The revised network involves Abidjan, Lomé, Pointe-Noire and Tema, with onward services carrying shipments to destinations across West and Central Africa.

Pointe-Noire will provide connections to Luanda, Matadi, Kribi and Walvis Bay. Lomé will serve Cotonou, while Tema will connect with Douala.

These arrangements determine where containers are transferred between services, although the carrier has not established how much additional cargo the revised schedules will bring to individual ports.

Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd are also modifying their Gemini Cooperation network as selected services return to the Suez Canal.

The carriers’ September announcement identified AE5, AE11, AE12 and ME2 among the services planned for Suez routing, reducing their reliance on the longer passage around the Cape of Good Hope.

The October network changes also include the AE18 service linking Asian ports with Mediterranean terminals. Its first sailing is scheduled for November 22, with calls including Shanghai, Xiamen, Algeciras and Tangier.

The revised schedules give cargo owners new routing arrangements, while the volume of containers handled at each African port will depend on subsequent bookings and vessel calls.

Africa’s Port Business Faces a Test Beyond Shipping Diversions

Africa’s liner shipping connectivity increased 10% between June 2024 and June 2025, the fastest growth among world regions, according to UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

Cameroon recorded a 54% increase as larger container vessels began calling at Kribi, improving its access to international shipping services.

Lloyd’s List Intelligence recorded 278 Suez Canal transits during September 21–27, while security threats continued to affect oil shipments through the Red Sea.

CMA CGM introduced a $265-per-TEU emergency fuel surcharge on certain container shipments from October 1, following higher bunker costs.

Angola’s Lobito Atlantic Railway transported nearly 265,000 tonnes of freight in 2025. Further rail and mineral-terminal improvements have attracted financing support from development lenders.

Cameroon’s Kribi port completed its second development phase in 2025, increasing capacity for larger container ships.

Zambia’s proposed 830-kilometre railway connection to Lobito remains under development, with contractor negotiations expected to begin in November following the selection of preferred bidders on October 27.

Shipping companies will continue choosing ports according to available cargo, terminal capacity and connections to inland markets.

The investments underway in railways and container facilities could improve access to international services, but their commercial performance will depend on the freight volumes they attract.

As emergency diversions decline, regular cargo movements will become more important to the ports competing for international shipping business.