Rabat – As China is dominating the global port ranking with seven Chinese ports in the top 10 port operators in the world, Morocco is leading the way in Africa since the creation of a major trade hub Tangier Med, according to Lloyd’s List’s ranking of the world’s best 100 ports in 2021.
Below are the top 5 ports in Africa:
Tangier Med
The Tangier Med Port is currently ranked 25th worldwide, surpassing other massive ports of the Mediterranean such as the Piraeus Port in Greece, the Port of Valencia and the Port of Algeciras in Spain.
According to Lloyd’s list, the year 2021 is the 4th consecutive year that the Tangier Med Special Agency (TMSA) is on top of the list of ports in Africa. Due to its geographical position, the Moroccan port is widely considered to be the most important link between Africa and Europe.
The international hub went from 4,80 million Twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) in 2019 to a total of 5,77 million TEU in 2020, recording an exceptional growth of 20,2%. In the first quarter of 2021, it recorded an even greater growth of 35%.
Despite a decrease in income due to COVID-19, the Moroccan Port was able to resist the pandemic-induced crisis, keeping its financial indicators in the green and preserving its major global alliances across other continents.
Port Said
The major Egyptian trade hub is strategically located on the main trade route between Europe and Asia, allowing it to ensure more than eight percent of global trade passes every year.
Port Said is currently ranked 2nd in Africa and 46th worldwide, with a capacity of 5,4 million TEU and an investment of $60 million.
In 2020, the Egyptian port was able to achieve 9,56% of growth compared to 2019, with a total of 4,01 million containers treated throughout the year.
The Port Said Shipyard (PSS) has a long-standing experience in the repair and building of all types of ships, managing to secure the port many international opportunities.
The port is looking to increase its overall capacity to 13 million TEU by 2030, in hopes of improving the current transshipment rate that is at 85% and becoming the first transshipping port of the Mediterranean.
Port of Durban
The Port of Durban, commonly called Durban Harbour, is the largest and busiest shipping terminal in Sub-Saharan Africa. It manages up to 31,4 million tons of cargo, and receives 4500 commercial vessels each year.
As of 2020, the South-African port holds the 3rd position among African ports, with a total of 2,59 million containers handled over the year, and the 4th position in the Southern Hemisphere.
The 21km-wide port is a multi-purpose terminal that incorporates a modern exchange terminal, a bonded storage facility and expanded cargo and container stacking areas covering about 20 hectares.
South African officials have recently announced a $7 billion expansion plan that will help improve the port’s efficiency and global ranking, notably by increasing its capacity from 2,9 million TEU to more than 11 million TEU by 2031.
Port of Lome
Togo’s Port of Lome is West Africa’s leading port with a capacity of 1,1 million TEU.
The Togolese port handled 1,72 million TEU in 2020, compared to 1,5 million TEU in 2019, marking its rate of growth at 15% and securing it the 4th position among container ports in Africa and the 98th position worldwide.
According to West Africa Brief, the port is well-connected and goods can be delivered to several West African countries such as Mali, Nigeria or Burkina Faso in a single day. Its success is also largely due to the creation of the Lome Container Terminal (LCT), which handles about 75% of the containers shipped through the Port of Lome.
With a depth of 16.60 meters, the Togolese port is the only deep-water port on the West African coast that can accommodate 3rd generation ships.
Alexandria Port
The Port of Alexandria is located on the West Verge of the Nile Delta, the area where the Nile River spreads out and drains into the Mediterranean Sea.
It is considered the main port in Egypt, with a participation of 60% in the country’s international trade.
In 2020, the port’s efficiency decreased by 7,33% compared to the year before, resulting in it losing its ranking of 4th in Africa to the Port of Lome.
Due to the Egyptian port’s strategic location along the Suez Canal, it receives an average of 51 ships a day.
Since the port is currently nearing saturation, the Egyptian authorities are planning the construction of a new container terminal in 2022, that will cover 560000 square meters and have a capacity of 1,5 million TEU.
