• CMA CGM launched its first regional Africa office in Abidjan.
• The hub will oversee pricing, equipment management and customer service.
• The move comes amid rising competition from MSC and Maersk.

CMA CGM announced this week the opening of its first regional office for Africa. Located in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, the logistics hub will be led by Adeline Gabillaud, the French group’s vice president and regional director for Africa.

CMA CGM is opening a new chapter in Africa by moving its Regional Office to Abidjan ??, a major hub connecting the continent to global trade.

A step closer to customers, partners and talent, supporting growth across the region and reaffirming the Group’s commitment in Africa. pic.twitter.com/4xbS8pWi8X

— CMA CGM Group (@cmacgm) February 11, 2026

The office will oversee several strategic functions, including export pricing, equipment management and customer service. The goal is to provide clients, partners and institutions across the continent with integrated logistics solutions covering the entire supply chain, including last-mile delivery.

The launch comes as CMA CGM continues to expand its footprint in Africa. Present on the continent for more than 50 years, the group operates 91 offices across all 54 countries and runs 33 maritime services serving more than 80 ports.

Its presence has strengthened in recent years. In 2023, CMA CGM secured the management of the container terminal at Nigeria’s Lekki port. A year earlier, its logistics subsidiary Ceva acquired Spedag Interfreight, a major logistics player in East Africa with operations in Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.

A Historic Milestone Achieved

On June 29, 2023, Lekki Port welcomed its first transshipment vessel, the CMA CGM RIMBAUD — officially positioning Nigeria as a player in the global transshipment arena.

This landmark moment underscores our strategic location, world-class… pic.twitter.com/VfKW7a02Yw

— Lekki Deep Sea Port (@LekkiPort) June 29, 2025

A highly competitive market

CMA CGM now offers a diversified maritime network linking Africa to key global markets. Its services include a weekly route connecting West Africa to India, the Middle East and the Gulf, direct weekly links between Asia and African ports, and connections between Europe and major West and Central African markets. The group controls eight container terminals on the continent, including in Abidjan, Kribi in Cameroon, and Tangier and Casablanca in Morocco.

Despite its scale, the Marseille-based shipping line faces intense competition in Africa from global rivals MSC and Maersk. While the new regional office in Côte d’Ivoire provides a strategic differentiator, CMA CGM is likely to continue investing to keep pace.

MSC has notably expanded its African presence by acquiring the logistics operations of French billionaire Vincent Bolloré under the Africa Global Logistics brand.

The competitive push comes as Africa’s maritime sector remains dynamic. Between the first half of 2018 and the first half of 2023, container ship calls increased 20%, while tanker calls rose 38%, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The agency also reported that between June 2024 and June 2025, Africa recorded the fastest growth globally in integration into maritime trade and transport networks, at 10%.