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MSC Becomes First Shipping Line To Send Mega-Sized Container Ships To Africa
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the world’s largest container shipping company by both fleet size and cargo capacity, has made history by becoming the first shipping line to send mega-sized container ships to Africa.
Two of its newest ultra-large container vessels, each with a capacity of more than 24,000 TEU, recently arrived in West Africa as part of the company’s expanded Africa Express service.
MSC Diletta arrived at the Port of Lomé in Togo on April 23, followed shortly by MSC Turkiye, which made port calls in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Cameroon. These vessels are among the largest containerships in the world, and their deployment to West Africa represents a bold expansion of global shipping routes.
The MSC Diletta, built in 2021 in China, is a 235,228-deadweight-ton ship with a container capacity of 23,964 TEU. It is registered in Liberia and operates under a long-term lease from Chinese finance companies.
It first called at Lomé, where MSC’s terminal division TIL is in partnership with China Merchants at the Lomé Container Terminal. It later continued its journey to Abidjan, in Côte d’Ivoire.
The second ship, MSC Turkiye, was delivered to MSC in 2023 and is even larger, with a capacity of 24,346 TEU and a deadweight of 281,458 tons. Also registered in Liberia, the ship was built in China and now serves MSC’s global fleet. It is one of the biggest container ships ever to dock in Africa with a length of 400 meters, a beam of 61 meters, and a draft of 16 meters.
According to the company, there are several reasons for this strategic shift:
- Trade growth between Asia and Africa: The volume of trade, especially between China, South Korea, and West Africa, has been growing rapidly. Larger ships help MSC meet this rising demand more efficiently.
- Rising customer needs: Clients are asking for bigger capacity and faster, more reliable shipping options along this key route.
- Long-term commitment to Africa: MSC has framed this expansion to support Africa’s economic development, improve logistics, and boost regional connectivity.
Before this, the largest container ships to operate in West Africa were around 366 meters long. Now, with vessels measuring 400 meters arriving regularly, ports like Lomé have had to make adjustments.
Port officials in Togo said handling these ultra-large ships required upgrades and presented technical challenges, but also offered major economic opportunities.
The Lomé Container Terminal, now the largest container port in West and sub-Saharan Africa, handled about 1.7 million TEU in the previous year, making it the fifth largest in all of Africa. Officials stated that while they had occasionally welcomed big ships before, this is the first time vessels of this size are part of a regular service.
Industry experts believe this move could bring long-term benefits for West Africa:
- Higher trade volumes: With bigger ships, ports can handle more cargo in fewer trips, increasing both imports and exports.
- Better port infrastructure: The arrival of larger ships will likely encourage ports to invest in deeper berths, stronger cranes, and expanded terminals.
- Greater efficiency: Shipping more containers at once can cut costs, reduce transit times, and streamline logistics.
CMA CGM has also deployed larger ships into service and invested heavily in terminals across the continent. Many major carriers, including Hapag-Lloyd, Evergreen, and OOCL, have traditionally used ultra-large vessels for routes between Asia and Europe.
These ships are typically built to handle around 24,000 TEUs and designed to meet the size limits of the Suez Canal and northern European ports.
Reference: MSC
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The information on this website is for general purposes only. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, we make no warranties of any kind regarding completeness, reliability, or suitability. Any reliance you place on such information is at your own risk. We are not liable for any loss or damage arising from the use of this website.
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