The first shipping company to send its massive ships to Africa was MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company. When two of the newly constructed 24,000 TEU class containerships arrived in the ports of Ghana, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, and Cameroon as part of the deployment on the African Express service in late April and early May, the firm made history. Carriers ranging from MSC, CMA CGM, and Hapag-Lloyd to Evergreen and OOCL have utilised the enormous vessels on routes between Asia and Europe since the launch of the most recent class of ultra large container ships.
With the maximum dimensions for a transit of the Suez Canal and the ports of Northern Europe, the ships were built to have a maximum capacity of about 24,000 TEU per vessel. MSC emphasizes that reshaping the region’s economic development will be aided by the relocation of two of these vessels to West Africa.
It is anticipated that the service, which links South Korea and China with ports in India and West Africa, will increase import and export trade volumes. MSC highlights the growth in consumer demand and trade between Asia and West Africa. Additionally, the business emphasizes the service as a component of its dedication to the economic growth of Africa. In late April, the MSC Diletta arrived in West Africa, marking the beginning of the expanded operation. The ship, which weighs 235,228 dwt, was constructed in China in 2021.
Operating under a long-term lease from Chinese finance companies to MSC, it is registered in Liberia. It is capable of holding 23,964 TEU. In Lomé, Togo, where MSC’s TIL business operates the Lomé Container Terminal in partnership with China Merchants, MSC Diletta placed a call. This ship also made a stop in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. The MSC Turkiye, which was also constructed in China and delivered to the business in 2023, came after her. With a capacity of 24,346 TEU, it is among the biggest containerships in the world. The ship has 281,458 DWT and is registered in Liberia.
Although the port had previously responded to requests for other sizable containerships, Lomé port officials emphasized that this is the first frequent deployment. The two MSC vessels are 400 meters (1,312 feet) long, whereas the largest containerships that were previously used on routes to West Africa were 366 meters (1,200 feet) long. The advancement of their facilities and the technical difficulties of managing ships that are each more than 100 feet longer than their predecessors were emphasized by port officials.
The biggest container port in sub-Saharan Africa and West Africa is the Lomé Container Terminal. With almost 1.7 million TEU handled last year, it is also the seventh largest in Africa. Carriers have extended their services in response to the expansion in Africa. For instance, CMA CGM has deployed their 24,000 TEU ships on European routes, bringing in greater capacity boats. In recent years, MSC and CMA CGM have also invested heavily in purchasing terminals and logistics facilities throughout Africa.
