Ports

West African Port Infrastructure Strained by Vessel Upsizing and Rising Volumes

Port congestion across West Africa is revealing critical infrastructure gaps as the region expands its container market. Regional container throughput increased 4% year-on-year, driven by larger vessels on Asia-West Africa services and emerging trade corridors to Latin America. The 24,000 teu vessels introduced on MSC's Africa Express service beginning April have strained terminal capacity and supporting logistics networks. Douala operated at 102% utilization last year with volumes climbing 48% annually, while Conakry, Dakar, Lomé, and Pointe-Noire ranged between 81% and 84% capacity. Tema in Ghana reported congestion delays of four to seven days during peak summer months, persisting near six-day levels. Experts warn the congestion reflects a mismatch between expanding vessel capacity, growing cargo volumes, and terminal processing capabilities, suggesting the problem extends beyond port gates into broader supply chain infrastructure.