For more than 50 years, global shipping giant CMA CGM has been present in Africa. Across the continent, CMA CGM offers shipping services that connect more than 80 African ports to markets around the globe. With 94 offices across 54 countries in Africa, CMA CGM is well-positioned to support sea, land, and air logistics across the continent, helping African businesses move their cargo to markets around the globe. With the African continent seeing a wealth of development opportunities, CMA CGM is ready to support customers with complete end-to-end shipping solutions that will support the long-term economic development of the continent through tailored shipping solutions.
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Globally, CMA CGM is a leader in integrated intermodal logistics solutions that ensure customers are given the best, most reliable and cost-effective shipping solutions possible. In Africa, these solutions support its customers’ cargo from door-to-door, delivering reliable shipping solutions that ensure that many countries, whether they are landlocked or not, can access vital shipping networks supporting logistics on both local and international scales. To support global connectivity across Africa, CMA CGM offers 35 key shipping services which offer extensive coverage of the continent, including services in West Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, and the Indian Ocean.
One of CMA CGM’s primary deepwater transhipment hubs in Africa is located at the Port of Kribi in Cameroon. In Cameroon, CMA CGM is represented by two local agencies that operate from the port cities of Douala and Kribi. The Port of Douala is one of the primary maritime gateways in Cameroon, located halfway between northern and southern Africa, and so offers a strategic entry point into the heart of Africa’s markets. The port itself is made up of 66,000m2 general-purpose warehousing, alongside 10km of quays which are connected to an extensive 20km of tarmac roads. These roads, alongside the Trans-Cameroon Railway, support shipping beyond the port and across the country. Through feeder services, CMA CGM connects to the Port of Douala, which links with the Kribi Deep Water Port in Cameroon and the Pointe-Noire Port in the Republic of Congo.
The other key port serving Cameroon is the Kribi Deepwater Port. The port spans 26,000 hectares and helps support the Port of Douala by relieving congestion, whilst cutting down waiting times. The port is a major hub, spanning several new terminals, which include a container terminal, a multipurpose terminal, an aluminium terminal and associated plant, a hydrocarbon terminal which is associated with a storage area and grain terminal, a methane terminal, and a natural gas liquefaction plant. However, the port is currently undergoing a vital expansion, which includes the construction of a dedicated mineral terminal and hydrocarbon terminal to support resource extraction. This is vital for the Kribi Deepwater Port as it is located in proximity to Cameroon’s mining assets, and so the port’s expansion will allow it to continue to play a pivotal role in the country’s mining exports, supported by the country’s rail network.
The long-term vision for the port aims to see a sprawling facility with up to 20 terminals delivered by 2040, with 6.5 km of quays and an annual handling capacity of 100 million tons of cargo. Therefore, with the port playing a critical role in the development of the country’s maritime and mineral shipping services, CMA CGM today manages the Kribi Container Terminal alongside Bolloré and CHEC as part of a public-private concession. This has delivered the terminal as a vital regional transhipment hub, which is utilised by CMA CGM to connect Central and West African trade with the globe, along its four major weekly direct services.
Another vital hub for CMA CGM’s network across Africa is Djibouti. The Port of Djibouti today serves as a pivotal transhipment hub for cargo destined for East Africa, as well as Yemen. With the country located next to landlocked Ethiopia, the port is a main gateway for the fast-paced and growing markets in Ethiopia, which rely on the port to handle its importing and exporting needs. CMA CGM operates in Djibouti through its subsidiary CMA CGM Djibouti, which was established around a decade ago to help strengthen the company’s footprint in the region and offer a wider range of services to its customers. Today, CMA CGM connects Djibouti to the world with 3 weekly liner calls, which include REX, which offers direct services to and from the Far-East, and EPIC, which grants fast and direct shipments from Northern Europe.
One of the most significant aspects of the Port of Djibouti is its 7 specialised facilities, which make the port a major logistics hub for global trade. The 7-facility network is a rare model used in Africa, but it allows the port to deliver focused logistics, transportation and trans-shipment services across East Africa. The port is then connected via the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway to the Doraleh Multipurpose Port (DMP). DMP spans 15 berths which handle a range of cargo varieties with the main commodities being oil, bulk, cargo, containers and livestock. Therefore, for CMA CGM, Djibouti and its associated port and rail networks are vital to supporting global shipping operations, helping customers both in Djibouti and across the continent have greater access to international markets.
As the Port of Djibouti looks towards the future, it is set on enhancing its network through a range of mega projects which will enhance the Port’s infrastructure and deliver the Port as a hub for logistics and transhipment along the African Coastline. Thus, with significant expansion planned, including a USD 70 million expansion of the Doraleh Container Terminal, the Djibouti port complex will be primed to serve an increasing number of vessels and cargo capacities to solidify its place as a key hub supporting CMA CGM’s global integrated shipping network spanning all corners of the globe.
One of the primary commercial gateways for East Africa is the Port of Mombasa in Kenya. The port is considered to be one of East Africa’s largest container ports, offering vital transport corridors, linking the landlocked countries of Uganda, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Burundi with global markets. The port spans 22 berths, which are divided into conventional cargo and container terminals. However, the port also has a dedicated modern cruise terminal handling the country’s thriving cruise industry. The port is currently served by two container terminals, which collectively have a total capacity of 2.3 million TEUs, seeing key commodities such as bulk grains and petroleum moved through the port.
CMA CGM is the leading shipping group in East Africa, with its subsidiary CMA CGM Kenya operating from Mombasa. The Group utilises the Port of Mombasa as a key hub to deliver full container shipping services including standard, reefer, out of gauge, hazardous, bulk and special projects cargo. This wealth of cargo services ensures that the port can operate as a key hub serving many countries across Eastern Africa. Then, beyond port operations, CMA CGM offers integrated door-to-door transportation services, which take cargo to and from Kenya and the neighbouring hinterland, and deliver it across the world via sea, road, rail and land logistics. Thus, with 15 monthly calls to Kenya along 4 shipping services, CMA CGM is primed to connect Kenyan businesses and those across its hinterland to the world.
In 2026, CMA has expanded its presence in the Port of Mombasa with reports outlining an investment of 700 million euros to modernise a terminal at the Port. The announcement was made as part of French President, Emmanuel Macron’s announcement at the African Forward Summit in Kenya, where he outlined 14 billion euros of investment in private and public funds from French companies in Kenya, and 9 billion euros from African companies. These companies span energy transition, agriculture, and artificial intelligence sectors, creating substantial development and employment opportunities across Africa. The investment of 700 million euros from CMA CGM highlights the company’s vital investment in Kenya’s shipping network, delivering a modernised terminal to support the country and its customers for many years to come.
This announcement comes following CMA CGM’s announcement in April 2026, outlining the inauguration of its African Regional Office in Abidjan. The office, which has been operational since February 2026, is designed to centralise key strategic functions, including commercial activities, export pricing, customer service, intermodal operations and equipment management into a consolidated office. This will enable more integrated deployment of end-to-end logistics solutions, ensuring everything from maritime transport to inland corridors is more cohesive. Plus, with a new centralised hub, it aims to enhance customer service, putting its teams in closer proximity to the customer to streamline operations and support more efficient hinterland corridors. Thus, the new office will significantly strengthen CMA CGM’s presence in Africa.
Alongside this, the office will help strengthen CMA CGM’s WAXI and KILIMA services spanning Asia-African routes. This will increase deployment capacity, offering more regular services and optimised rotations connecting key African hubs with those in Asia. Furthermore, beyond port and maritime services, CMA CGM is set to deploy a more integrated approach to logistics in Africa through its subsidiary CEVA Logistics, which is already connecting ports to inland markets, through multi-modal corridors, warehousing and distribution operations.
By enhancing all aspects of its shipping solutions, both across sea and land, CMA CGM is continually enhancing its African logistics networks. From investing in key terminals and port development projects to the opening of its new African Regional Office, the company is committed to delivering integrated and cohesive shipping solutions that support businesses across the continent by delivering reliable, affordable and fast shipping solutions. We look forward to seeing how CMA CGM continues to expand its network across Africa to support businesses with enhanced global and domestic connectivity for many years to come.
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