In light of CMA CGM’s upgraded service network between Europe and West Africa, Container News conducted an analysis to uncover the dynamics of port connectivity in the region and provide valuable insights.
The Wazzan and Bijagos services, which show strong connectivity indices, are poised to boost trade flows between Europe and West Africa, particularly benefiting countries like Senegal, Mauritania, and Guinea-Bissau. Major transshipment hubs like Algeciras and Tanger Med play a vital role in facilitating smoother, more efficient trade routes as they are part of multiple services.
The inclusion of smaller ports such as Nouadhibou (Mauritania) and Bissau (Guinea-Bissau) into well-connected services like Bijagos and Wazzan is likely to open up new markets for these regions.
The EURAF 4 service, covering ports in Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, and Gabon, diversifies trade routes, reducing dependency on a few major ports. This approach spreads the benefits of improved connectivity across the region and could stimulate intra-regional trade.
For example, West Africa, a major exporter of natural resources such as oil, cocoa, rubber, and minerals, will benefit from streamlined exports facilitated by improved port connectivity in countries like Côte d’Ivoire (San Pedro), Gabon (Libreville), and Cameroon (Kribi).
Further analysis revealed strong growth in emerging ports within these services. Kribi (Cameroon) showed the highest connectivity growth, with a 35-point increase, highlighting its growing role in regional and international trade. Similarly, Freetown (Sierra Leone) saw a 26-point increase, marking its rise as a crucial trade hub in West Africa.
Ports like Malabo (Equatorial Guinea) and Algeciras (Spain) exhibited moderate growth, while Tanger Med maintained its position as a critical transshipment hub despite slower growth during this period. Moroccan ports, operating primarily as transshipment hubs, were ranked lower in terms of growth.
On the other hand, smaller ports such as Banjul (Gambia) and Bata (Equatorial Guinea) remained stagnant with zero growth, reflecting limited shifts in trade dynamics or capacity during this period.
The overall analysis revealed that ports like Kribi and Freetown are becoming increasingly important players in global trade, driven by significant improvements in their connectivity, while, ports such as Algeciras and Tanger Med remain critical for the region, although growth in these hubs has been moderate. Also, the inclusion of diverse ports in services like EURAF 4 helps reduce dependency on major hubs, potentially boosting intra-regional trade in West Africa.
It needs to be highlighted that smaller ports like Banjul and Bata face significant challenges related to infrastructure, geographic limitations, low trade volumes, competition from larger regional hubs, and insufficient investment.
