Sea-Intelligence predicts that Africa is poised to become a key expansion point for shipping lines due to a growing population and improving economic conditions. Recently, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) announced plans to deploy 23,000+ TEU vessels on their Asia-WAF ‘Africa Express’ service. This move represents a significant increase in nominal capacity, with the largest vessel on the service currently at 16,600 TEU and an average vessel size of 14,465 TEU.
The decision to deploy larger vessels to West Africa marks a shift from the previous trend of smaller vessels being replaced by larger ones. Alan Murphy, CEO of Sea-Intelligence, highlighted this surprising development. Since June 2022, the average vessel size to West Africa has grown by 50%, with the region seeing an influx of vessels over 15,000 TEU. MSC has been a major player in this growth, deploying 26 vessels of 15,000 TEU and above on trades connecting to West Africa since January 2024.
The economic indicators for Africa support the shipping industry’s focus on the region. Africa’s population is expected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, with significant growth in West Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing economic growth that surpasses global and advanced economies. This growth potential has prompted companies like Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement to invest in maritime training centers in countries like Ghana, recognizing the region as a frontier for sourcing the next generation of seafarers due to its young and expanding population.
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