• Port of Lomé ranks 92nd globally with 2.06M TEUs in 2024
• Deep-water access, transshipment growth drive competitive edge
• €127M expansion to boost capacity, handle mega-vessels by 2027
  

The Port of Lomé is cementing its status as a major regional platform, rising to 92nd place in the 2025 ranking by Lloyd’s List, the global shipping reference. This position marks a one-place gain from the previous edition.

With traffic reaching 2.06 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2024, an 8% increase from 1.9 million TEUs the year prior, Lomé remains the only port in Sub-Saharan Africa to rank in the global Top 100. It is the fifth-largest port on the African continent, trailing only Tangier Med, Port Said, Durban, and Alexandria.

Lloyd’s List analysts attribute this growth to the expansion of transshipment traffic, a segment Lomé has cultivated through strategic partnerships and efficient port logistics. As a deep-water port, Lomé benefits from a significant draft, allowing it to accommodate the largest vessels on the continent and enhancing its competitiveness against rivals like Durban and Abidjan. This progress occurs amid a global rebound in container traffic of 8.1% and ongoing reorganization of international supply chains.

The port recently completed dredging work at its terminal for 7.5 million euros ($7.9 million). The channel depth has been increased to 18.6 meters, enabling it to handle more mega-vessels, those ranging from 19,000 to 24,000 TEUs.

Further investments are slated by Lomé Container Terminal (LCT), one of the port's two handling operators. LCT announced a 120 million euro ($127 million) investment program through 2027, which includes strengthening quays, installing new cranes, and expanding the terminal's annual capacity to 2.5 million TEUs.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi