Kenya joins push for continental shipping line
Shipping & Logistics
By
Benard Sanga
| Dec 11, 2025
A detailed feasibility study has revealed that Kenya and other Eastern, Southern and Northern African (ESNA) countries can greatly benefit from having a coordinated sea transport system.
According to the study, Africa’s maritime sector is currently fragmented, with weak transport links, limited regional shipping capacity, and a significant reliance on foreign shipping lines.
Most cargo in ESNA is shipped by big international companies based outside the continent, and now Kenya is among the ESNA countries strongly supporting the creation of a regional shipping line.
Participants at the recent workshop in Mombasa said the proposal for a regional liner was timely, strategic, and long overdue. They also proposed cabotage laws to protect it from unfair competition. The workshop was organised by the Maritime Organisation of Eastern, Southern and Northern Africa (MOESNA) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa).
It brought together government officials, maritime authorities, regional organisations and private sector players from across the continent.
The meeting reviewed the Draft Feasibility Study for the establishment of the regional shipping line and the Draft Maritime Cabotage Protocol that will guide its implementation.
Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Shipping and Maritime Affairs Aden Abdi Millah, who opened the workshop, said Africa urgently needs to take control of its maritime trade.
“African cargo is still carried by multinational shipping lines headquartered outside the continent, exposing us to external shocks, pricing volatility, and global disruptions,” he said.
He added that although more than 80 per cent of global trade moves by sea, Africa accounts for only about seven per cent of that trade.
“This underscores the urgent need for regional collaboration to regain control over our trade routes and strengthen Africa’s role in global shipping,” he said.
Millah praised MOESNA for pushing a vision that fits well with the African Union’s 2050 Africa Integrated Maritime Strategy. He said no single African country can fix the challenges alone.
“Only a coordinated regional shipping line and a common cabotage framework can expand intra-African trade, reduce dependence on foreign carriers, and enhance resilience amid global regulatory shifts, including the maritime sector’s decarbonisation goals,” he said.
The study examined whether a regional shipping line is technically, economically and operationally possible. It reviewed trade patterns between 2010 and 2024 and projected future scenarios.
It states that under a favourable growth path, ESNA’s trade could reach 56 million Twenty Foot Equivalent Units by 2041.
The study noted that the region mainly exports minerals, fuels, agricultural products and raw materials, while imports are dominated by machinery, vehicles and consumer goods.
It also identified long-standing challenges such as high logistics costs, weak intermodal connections, limited port capacity and domination by large international shipping alliances.
Despite these challenges, the study highlighted strong opportunities. The region can build its own maritime value chains by expanding feeder services, developing coastal and short-sea shipping, and reducing dependence on foreign transhipment hubs.
To support this, the study proposed five operational shipping routes that link the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, inland corridors and the Atlantic into one coordinated ESNA maritime corridor.
It also recommended a regional, integrated and sustainability-focused model. The proposed fleet would depend on projected traffic, port capacity and corridor demand.
For smooth operations, the study outlined requirements such as well-trained personnel, digital systems, navigational planning and performance monitoring.
The financial plan suggests a blended model combining funds from governments, development finance institutions, private investors, multilateral partners and green financing instruments.
“Sensitivity tests showed that a regional shipping line could eventually sustain itself while boosting economic growth, reducing shipping costs and increasing Africa’s competitiveness,” it states. MOESNA Secretary General Kassim Mpaata said the workshop marked an important moment for Africa’s journey toward maritime independence.
“Despite Africa’s reliance on maritime transport for over 80 per cent of its trade, our capacity to manage and transport cargo remains limited due to infrastructure gaps, fragmented governance, and weak connectivity between ports,” Mpaata said.
He clarified that the idea is not to compete with global giants.
“The objective is not to compete directly with global shipping giants but to build regional capacity, deepen intra-African trade, lower logistics costs, create employment opportunities, and develop high-level maritime skills among African professionals,” he said.
“Through collaborative effort, Africa can build a resilient, competitive, and self-sufficient maritime transport system.”
COMESA’s Assistant Secretary General for Programmes, Ambassador Dr Mohamed Kadah, said that fragmented services, high transport costs and poor connectivity limit trade within Africa.
“Our shared vision is an efficient, competitive, and regionally-owned shipping ecosystem that reduces costs, strengthens trade, and increases Africa’s influence in global maritime transport,” Dr Kadah said.