TOC Africa reflects on the continent's port development
- An industrial era marked by multiple challenges
- Maritime transport at the service of port development
- Port development: infrastructure and decarbonisation
- African ports at the heart of the continent's industrialisation
The TOC Africa 2025 Morocco conference, organised by the Tangier Med international port in collaboration with TOC Worldwide, is an unmissable event that aims to bring together key players in the maritime and logistics sector from Africa and around the world to exchange views, discuss and network.
The second edition featured an exhibition showcasing the latest innovations in port equipment, machinery and technology. It brought together more than 400 participants and port and logistics players from 66 countries, including 41 African countries, 20 port authorities and more than 50 international speakers.
Under the theme ‘Trade, tariffs and tensions... How to move forward?’, this key global event, which aims to boost the maritime and logistics sector, highlighted the decisive role of Tangier Med, Africa and the Mediterranean's leading container port, as a hub for global maritime trade located in the Strait of Gibraltar and the official host of the 2025 edition.
An industrial era marked by multiple challenges
During the opening session, Mehdi Tazi Riffi, Director General of the Tangier Med Special Agency, stated that ‘this edition of TOC Africa comes at a time when our industry is facing multiple challenges: the outlook for global trade, the positioning of shipowners and ports, the energy transition and decarbonisation, as well as the digital transition’.
'All these issues reflect not only the dynamism of our sector and the magnitude of the challenges, but also the opportunities. In this regard, Tangier Med, the fruit of King Mohammed VI's vision, and as a leading maritime, logistics and industrial player in the Mediterranean and on a continental scale, fully assumes its role as a benchmark port and logistics platform, serving both global supply chains and regional development,' emphasised Tazi.
Taking into account the challenges of the current industrial era, Paul Holloway, CEO of TOC Worldwide, listed the major issues on the agenda of the African maritime and logistics community: the port as a catalyst for trade and cooperation in Africa, the position of African ports in global trade, African supply chains, their challenges and opportunities, investment in intra-African trade and logistics corridors, sustainability and climate change, the digital maturity of the African port sector, and the efficiency of port terminal operations.
Maritime transport at the service of port development
Col. André Ciseau, representative of the Port Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa (PMAESA), argued that ‘the evolution of maritime transport is crucial for Africa's economic development, a goal that will be achieved through political goodwill and collaboration between stakeholders to develop strategies such as regional cargo consolidation and capacity building for the local population.’
In this regard, Ciseau stressed the growing need to develop environmentally friendly fuels, focusing on value-added minerals and reducing the impact of tariff wars and challenges in the Red Sea, clarifying that the long-term impact of these challenges on investment in the region is uncertain.
André Ciseau recalled that 'capacity building in Africa is essential to improving the continent's socio-economic development', particularly in the port sector, mentioning challenges such as corruption, environmental issues and infrastructure deficiencies, as well as fostering goodwill among stakeholders to improve the integrated economic development strategy.
In this vein, West Africa has experienced significant port development over the past 25 years, with the creation of deep-draft terminals by companies such as TIL, MSC and LOMI. Two large container terminals in Abidjan are operated by APM Terminals and AGL, while Meridian Port Services and APM Terminals have made investments in the port of Tema in Ghana. In addition, DP World has carried out new developments in Senegal, indicating a growing presence of container terminals in the region.
According to PMAESA, significant investment has been made in West African ports, with companies such as APM Terminals, Meridian Port Services and DP World playing a key role in the development of the region's ports. Ethiopia, as a role model, has no coastal port, is a landlocked country and has more than 10 cargo ships, compared to coastal countries, which may have fewer.
André Ciseau concluded by explaining that ‘Africa needs to collaborate and improve the way we do business; through some forms of collaboration, taking into account, in terms of infrastructure and corridors, the challenge of the incompatibility of railway lines, as some countries have standard gauge tracks, others have single gauge tracks, and there is much talk of standardisation, but no one has taken the first step’.
Port development: infrastructure and decarbonisation
Jean Marie Koffi, representative of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), confirmed that 'the growth in port volume in the economic zone reflects its great capacity to accommodate large vessels'. However, this growth poses challenges, especially with regard to the transport of goods inland via corridors, which are often roads in poor condition. The use of railways is also limited, with only 12% utilisation in Africa, compared to 60% in Europe and Asia.
The development of corridors is therefore essential to facilitate the growth of port volume, but the current state of infrastructure is insufficient. The use of digitalisation and standardisation is essential to create fluidity in the corridors and address the challenges posed by changing standards from one capital to another.
Another challenge for the economic zone, according to Marie Koffi, is border management, which is considered a real asset that must be carried out effectively in order to achieve success in the economic zone, especially with regard to pollution in ports located in the city.
The economic zone aims to create a network that promotes decarbonisation, which requires a shift from fossil fuels to renewable energies. This is a major challenge that must be addressed, and a key step towards achieving this goal, according to the PMAWCA representative.
African ports at the heart of the continent's industrialisation
The Director General of the Tangier Med Special Agency, Mehdi Tazi Riffi, analysed the importance of integrating ports into the industrialisation of the continent, including industries and logistics to boost economic development in African countries, highlighting the need to address congestion, develop IT solutions and ensure that ports act as hubs for economic growth.
Tazi also pointed to collaboration with African organisations to share a successful model of integration between ports and industry, giving the example of Morocco, whose expertise can be shared with other African countries to promote the continent's economic development through collaboration with the African Economic Zones Organisation, which brings together more than 100 special economic zones to share knowledge and best practices.
He therefore emphasised that ‘competition can be beneficial, but sharing knowledge and experience is even more valuable, encouraging collaboration and exchange that can generate greater development and growth, rather than harming businesses’.
'As the 2030 targets are both ambitious and challenging, we are committed to decarbonisation, which is why the port has been has been powered by 100% green electricity since last year, and we have a programme in place to deploy our own green electricity production capabilities to meet the needs of our customers who are committed to decarbonisation,' added Mehdi Tazi Riffi.
Decarbonisation is, according to Tazi, a collective effort, not something that happens in just one part, and therefore everyone must move forward at the same pace; while Tangier Med plays a leading role in this regard by working towards the vision of being fully decarbonised by 2030.
‘We are talking about the African continent, but also about the capacity of economic activity to generate a positive cycle, with more SMEs and local companies joining in this development, so it is something we are very focused on and consider one of the positive advances that Tangier Med has achieved or can continue to achieve,’ concluded Mehdi Tazi.