The partnership includes expansion of inland corridors linking Mombasa and Lamu to regional markets and joint investment solutions to strengthen Kenya’s transport and logistics ecosystem.
By Blue Africa News
French shipping and logistics giant Compagnie Maritime d’Affrètement – Compagnie Générale Maritime (CMA CGM) has unveiled a high-level framework for cooperation with the Kenyan government, aimed at advancing the country’s logistics and port infrastructure capacity.
The company signed a landmark €700 million (approximately Ksh106 billion) strategic partnership deal with the government of Kenya at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi (11-12 May, 2026), focused on transforming East Africa’s logistics and trade infrastructure.
Kenyan president William Ruto and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron witnessed the signing, setting in motion a partnership that will “look for joint investment solutions to improve the competitiveness and strengthen the region’s integration into global trade routes through Kenyan reinforced infrastructures.”
Under the deal, CMA CGM will modernise and expand terminals at the Port of Mombasa, one of the busiest ports in Africa. Additionally, CMA CGM will invest in upgrading facilities to accommodate next-generation container ships, boosting efficiency and positioning Kenya as a regional hub for East and Central Africa.
The partnership also includes expansion of inland corridors linking Mombasa and Lamu to regional markets, joint investment solutions to strengthen Kenya’s transport and logistics ecosystem and a strong focus on decarbonisation of supply chains, aligning with CMA CGM’s global sustainability commitments.
That is not all. “The CMA CGM Foundation will expand the I.O. Me001 innovation center in Mombasa, through the addition of seven containers converted into spaces dedicated to vocational training entrepreneurship and activities linked to emerging technologies,” the company said in a press release.
“This center was inaugurated in 2023 and had already benefited from support from the CMA CGM Foundation in partnership with the Kenyan Red Cross and the French Embassy. Last year it welcomed more than 1200 students and 15 institutions.”
Like the Kisumu and Lamu ports, the Port of Mombasa is managed by the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA). It is consistently ranked among the top container ports in Africa, serving as a critical link between global markets and a rapidly expanding region.
Delegates during the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya. France president Emmanuel Macron among a host of African presidents were in attendance. Photo courtesy: State House Kenya.
Over 40 major shipping lines call at the port with direct links to more than 80 ports worldwide, ensuring that trade between East and Central Africa with the rest of the world flows seamlessly and reliably.
According to KPA, cargo volumes through the Port of Mombasa hit a record 45.45 million metric tons for the period January to December 2025, a 10.9% increase, or 4.46 million metric tons compared to 2024 when the port handled 40.99 million metric tons.
Significant growth, said KPA Managing Director Captain William Ruto, was attained in container traffic, reaching a total of 2.11 million (twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), against 2.00 million TEUs in 2024, a 5.5% growth rate.
However, the port continues to be pegged back by various challenges, including capacity constraints, severe congestion and logistical bottlenecks, which have led to long vessel waiting times and a decline in global performance rankings. The government and partners such as CMA CGM are working towards addressing the challenges.
CMA CGM Group’s presence in Kenya dates back to 2005. The company continues to play a key role in the country’s logistics ecosystem, connecting Mombasa and Lamu to global markets and supporting inland corridors across East Africa.
Its presence in Kenya follows years of building a network of high-performance maritime and land hubs across Africa, designed to facilitate trade flows.
In Nigeria for instance, CMA CGM operates the Lekki Deep Sea Port under CMA Terminals which stands at the core of the Group’s strategy in the Gulf of Guinea, while in the Republic of Congo, the development of a new deep-water terminal in Pointe-Noire, in partnership with AD Ports Group is expected to create a new Atlantic hub in Central Africa, so as to support transshipment activities.
Oliver Ochieng, Blue Africa News