Africa continues to lag in global container handling capacity, with just four ports listed in Lloyd's List's Top 100 Container Ports Ranking for 2025, reports New York's Business Insider.

Morocco's Tanger Med ranked highest among African ports at 17th globally, handling over 10.2 million TEU in 2024, an 18.9 per cent increase. Egypt's Port Said placed 53rd with 3.9 million TEU, while Alexandria posted strong growth to 2.2 million TEU. Togo's Lome Port ranked 92nd with over two million TEU.

The findings highlight Africa's ongoing infrastructure and logistical constraints, despite rising trade volumes and improvements at select terminals. Limited automation, slow cargo clearance, and poor rail connectivity continue to hinder competitiveness.

Lloyd's List reported global container throughput reached 743.6 million TEU in 2024, up 8.1 per cent year-on-year. Asia dominated trade flows, with Chinese ports handling over 40 per cent of global volume. North America and Europe also saw gains due to shifting supply chains and stronger consumer demand.

Africa's shipping performance has been strained by global and regional disruptions. The Red Sea security crisis has rerouted major shipping lines, causing delays and reduced vessel calls to Eastern and Northern African ports.

Western carriers have scaled back operations on some West African routes due to lower freight demand and capacity issues. Many African economies remain import-dependent, limiting incentives for large-scale transshipment investment.

While Tanger Med, Port Said, Alexandria and Lome show promise, the continent must accelerate investment in port infrastructure, digital logistics and supply-chain security to avoid further marginalisation in global trade.