MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company has expanded its Central African logistics network by integrating the deep-water Port of Kribi into its intermodal transport operations, creating an alternative regional gateway to the congested Port of Douala for cargo moving into Cameroon and neighbouring landlocked markets.
The move strengthens regional trade connectivity for importers and exporters serving Cameroon, Chad and the Central African Republic by linking ocean freight services at Kribi with inland road transport corridors extending to major commercial centres including Yaoundé, N’Djamena and Bangui.
MSC said the expanded service is designed to improve cargo movement efficiency, reduce transit bottlenecks and provide shippers with faster and more reliable logistics solutions across Central Africa as regional trade volumes continue to rise.
The logistics network combines vessel operations, inland transportation, customs coordination and cargo tracking into a single integrated supply chain system, allowing cargo discharged at Kribi to move directly through MSC’s inland transport network to final destinations across the region.
Cameroon remains one of Central Africa’s most strategically positioned logistics hubs due to its role as a gateway for imports into several landlocked economies. According to World Bank estimates cited by MSC, approximately 79% of Chad’s imports transit through the Port of Douala, highlighting the importance of expanding regional port infrastructure and transport corridors.
The integration of Kribi is expected to ease pressure on Douala while improving supply chain resilience for regional trade flows serving mining, agriculture, consumer goods and industrial sectors.
Kribi has emerged as one of Africa’s fastest-growing maritime infrastructure projects and remains Cameroon’s only deep-water port capable of handling ultra-large container vessels. The facility currently has annual handling capacity exceeding one million TEUs and recorded nearly 470 vessel calls during 2023.
The port has undergone significant expansion in recent years to support larger vessels and rising cargo volumes linked to growing trade demand across Central and West Africa.
MSC noted that Kribi is among the few African ports capable of accommodating some of the world’s largest container ships, including the MSC Türkiye, which has capacity exceeding 24,000 TEUs. The vessel’s arrival marked one of the largest container ship calls ever recorded at a Central African port.
The shipping giant now operates four dedicated services calling at Kribi, including the Africa Express and India Africa Service, which provide direct connections between Cameroon, Asia, India and global trade markets.
Additional feeder services, including the Douala Express Feeder and Gulf of Guinea Feeder Service, strengthen regional maritime connectivity across West and Central Africa.
The Kribi corridor forms part of MSC’s broader African intermodal logistics expansion strategy aimed at improving inland connectivity between ports and landlocked economies.
The initiative follows the launch of the Côte d’Ivoire–Burkina Faso rail corridor earlier this year, with additional logistics corridors planned in South Africa and Kenya later in 2026.
The expansion reflects growing investment by global shipping companies into integrated African logistics networks as governments and private sector players seek to strengthen regional trade infrastructure under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Improved port connectivity and inland logistics are increasingly viewed as critical to unlocking intra-African trade, reducing transport costs and accelerating industrialisation across the continent.