Africa’s maritime sector continues to lag behind global peers, with just four ports making it into the 2025 Lloyd’s List of the world’s top 100 container terminals.
The findings underscore the continent’s persistent infrastructure gaps despite rising trade flows and renewed investment interest.
Global container traffic surged in 2024, reaching 743.6 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), an 8.1 percent jump from the previous year. The rebound marks a strong recovery from years of supply chain disruption caused by the pandemic and geopolitical instability.
Asia retained its dominance, led by Chinese ports that handled more than 40 percent of global volumes. North America and Europe also posted solid gains, supported by stronger consumer demand and realigned supply chains.
In Africa, Morocco’s Tanger Med held firm as the top performer, ranking 17th worldwide after handling over 10.2 million TEUs, up nearly 19 percent. The port has solidified its role as a transshipment hub bridging Europe, Africa and the Americas.
Egypt followed with Port Said in 53rd position, processing 3.9 million TEUs but recording a slight dip due to ongoing instability in the Red Sea. Alexandria, meanwhile, registered one of the region’s sharpest growth rates, moving 2.2 million TEUs in the same period.
Togo’s Port of Lomé rounded out Africa’s representation at 92nd, reinforcing its emergence as a critical West African logistics hub.
Kenya has once again missed out on the list of the world’s top 100 container ports, a stark reminder of the country’s slipping competitiveness in regional maritime trade
Kenya’s Port of Mombasa, once regarded as the gateway to East and Central Africa, failed to make the cut amid stagnating performance.
Despite recent investments in the second container terminal and plans to upgrade berths, Mombasa continues to face bottlenecks linked to limited automation, slow cargo clearance and weak rail integration with hinterland markets.
The port’s regional influence has also been eroded by emerging competitors, including Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam and Djibouti, which have invested heavily in modern terminals and digital systems.
Analysts say the limited African presence in the ranking reflects deeper structural weaknesses. Persistent congestion, outdated cargo systems, slow customs clearance and poor hinterland connectivity continue to deter global carriers.
Unless governments and investors step up modernization efforts, Africa risks falling further behind in the race to integrate into global trade networks.
