The French group CMA CGM is planning to further expand the largest port in East Africa. The project is being realized together with the state of Kenya.
The shipping company CMA CGM announced at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi that it would be investing huge sums in the port of Mombasa in Kenya. A total of 106 billion Kenyan shillings (equivalent to €700 million) will flow into the modernization and expansion of two terminals in East Africa’s largest deep-water port. In addition to CMA CGM CEO Rodolphe Saadé, Presidents William Ruto and Emmanuel Macron were also present at the signing of the contract between the French group and the Kenyan government.
CMA CGM has been represented in Kenya for over 20 years. The shipping company explained that the investment will increase the port’s handling capacity. In addition, regional trade corridors are to be strengthened to meet the growing demand in maritime transport. Mombasa, located in south-eastern Kenya and the country’s largest port city, acts as a transshipment point for several landlocked countries such as Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The expansion is intended to help position the port as a hub for local, regional and international markets.
According to CMA CGM, the agreement with the Kenyan government is part of a broader strategy. This aims to develop port infrastructure, integrate logistics and decarbonize transport chains throughout Africa. The shipping company is also involved in projects in other African countries, such as Morocco, Cameroon and Nigeria.
