(Ecofin Agency) - On May 8, 2025, the MSC Turkiye, one of the largest container ships in the world, will dock at Cameroon’s deep-sea port of Kribi in the South region. This landmark arrival will coincide with the launch of the port’s second container terminal, marking a major step in Cameroon’s ambitions to boost its shipping and logistics sector.

The news was confirmed by Africa Global Logistics (AGL), MSC’s Cameroon subsidiary. AGL was formed after the Italo-Swiss shipping giant MSC acquired the African logistics business previously owned by French group Bolloré. The ship’s arrival date was also listed by the maritime tracking platform www.vesselsfinder.com, although the actual docking may shift slightly depending on time zone differences between Asia and Cameroon.

The MSC Turkiye, built in 2023, is one of only four container vessels in the MSC fleet that can carry 24,346 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). Unlike its sister ships, the MSC Irina, MSC Loreto, and MSC Michel Cappellini, the MSC Turkiye stands out with its massive dimensions: 400 meters long and 62 meters wide. This visit will be the first time such a colossal vessel enters Central African waters.

The second container terminal at Kribi, which the MSC Turkiye will inaugurate, offers 715 meters of quay space, more than double the 350 meters available at the first terminal. This new terminal is operated by Kribi Container Terminal (KCT), a subsidiary of AGL. It was built as part of the port’s second-phase expansion project and will officially open during a ceremony scheduled for May 9, 2025.

According to Patrice Melom, Director General of the Kribi Port Authority, the launch of this terminal opens up new horizons for Cameroon. He says it will allow Kribi to "stand shoulder to shoulder with major ports in the Gulf of Guinea."

That vision is clearly shared by MSC. The shipping company has added Kribi to its new Africa Express maritime route, a logistics solution designed to serve growing trade flows between Asia and West Africa.

The Africa Express connects major Asian ports in South Korea, China, Thailand, Singapore, and India to African ports in Lomé (Togo), Tema (Ghana), Abidjan (Ivory Coast), and Kribi (Cameroon). This strategic route addresses the sharp rise in cargo volumes between these regions.

As part of this shift, MSC has reassigned its largest vessels, including the MSC Turkiye, to serve the Africa Express route. Shortly after the Turkiye’s arrival, the MSC Melissa, a 304-meter-long and 40-meter-wide container ship, is also scheduled to dock at Kribi, according to www.vesselsfinder.com.