By: Zawya

The CMA CGM Group, the world’s third-largest shipping company, this week signed a €700 million ($822.14 million) strategic agreement to support upgrades of Kenya’s Mombasa Port.

The agreement, signed by the group’s chief executive Rodolphe Saadé on the sidelines of the Africa Forward Summit, provides a framework for cooperation with Kenyan authorities to implement initiatives aimed at expanding the country’s logistics and port capacity.

The €700 million ($822.14 million) financing commitment will be spent on renovating two terminals at the port of Mombasa, a major gateway to East and Central Africa.

Mombasa connects more than 80 global ports to Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and South Sudan, handling diverse cargo including containers, oil, and grain.“This strategic partnership will seek joint investment solutions to improve competitiveness and strengthen the region’s integration into global trade routes through reinforced Kenyan infrastructure,” CMA CGM Group said in a statement.

Present in Africa for more than 50 years, the group is pursuing a long-term strategy based on securing port and inland capacities, developing regional hubs, integrating logistics solutions, and accelerating the decarbonisation of transport chains. It currently operates and develops nine container terminals across the continent, reflecting the depth of its commitment.

The latest agreement with Kenya comes barely a month after the inauguration of the group’s Africa Regional Office in Abidjan on April 23, 2026, marking another step in its strategic expansion across the continent.

CMA CGM has been present in Kenya since 2005 and 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.

The group is a global player in sea, land, air, and logistics solutions, present in 177 countries, serving more than 420 ports across five continents with a fleet of over 700 vessels. It is committed to the energy transition, with a target of achieving net zero carbon by 2050.

Through several investments, CMA CGM is building a network of high-performance maritime and land hubs across Africa to secure trade flows, improve connectivity, and support sustainable growth.

For instance, the Kribi Container Terminal in Cameroon, where CMA CGM is a major stakeholder alongside Africa Global Logistics (AGL), continues to strengthen its role as a strategic regional hub. The recent expansion of its terminal yard will increase capacity and support growing volumes across the sub-region, with further development phases under consideration.

In Nigeria, Lekki Deep Sea Port, operated by CMA Terminals with CHEC, stands at the core of the group’s Gulf of Guinea strategy. With growing capacity and ongoing investments, the terminal is positioning itself as a major gateway for West Africa. CMA CGM also plans a 100 percent electric river barge project linking Lekki to inland dry ports in Lagos, aiming to cut CO₂ emissions and improve logistics reliability.

In Congo-Brazzaville, a new deep-water terminal in Pointe-Noire, developed with AD Ports Group, is expected to create a new Atlantic hub in Central Africa.

Beyond port infrastructure, CMA CGM said it is strengthening logistics integration through its subsidiary CEVA Logistics, developing multimodal corridors that combine maritime, rail, and road transport to connect ports efficiently to inland markets.

The group, through the CMA CGM Foundation, also announced two new projects in Kenya: expansion of its innovation centre and renovation of the main football field at the University of Nairobi.