Hapag-Lloyd targets 1.7 million TEU in Africa by 2030

Hapag-Lloyd is targeting annual container transport volumes of 1.7 million TEU across Africa by 2030, as the German shipping company marks 20 years of operations in South Africa and continues expanding its presence across the continent.

According to the company, its African transport volumes have exceeded 1 million TEU for the first time in 2026. Hapag-Lloyd currently serves 27 African countries, reflecting the expansion of its regional network and the growing importance of the continent to its container shipping business.

South Africa remains one of the carrier’s established markets, providing a base for serving regional industries and supporting connections with Europe, the Indian Ocean and other international trade routes.

The anniversary follows several years of expansion through acquisitions, organisational changes and partnerships with port operators aimed at supporting future cargo growth.

South Africa marks two decades of operations

Hapag-Lloyd opened its first dedicated office in South Africa in 2006 and now employs 52 people in the country, serving customers across a range of industries.

Its acquisition of the container liner business of Deutsche Afrika-Linien (DAL) in 2022 strengthened the company’s connections between South Africa, Europe and the Indian Ocean.

Rogelio Busto, Managing Director South & East Africa at Hapag-Lloyd, said the company’s development in South Africa had been supported by long-term customer relationships and its local workforce.

“Over the past 20 years, we have built strong relationships with our customers and partners in South Africa,” said Rogelio Busto, Managing Director South & East Africa at Hapag-Lloyd.

The company is organising anniversary events in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg for customers, partners and employees.

Network expansion supports African growth strategy

Hapag-Lloyd has expanded its African operations through several strategic initiatives, including the acquisition of NileDutch in 2021, which strengthened its presence in West Africa.

In 2024, the company established a dedicated Sub-Region Africa to coordinate its activities and support further business development across the continent.

More recently, Hapag-Lloyd expanded its cooperation with DP World to secure long-term terminal capacity in Dakar, Luanda and Dar es Salaam. The partnership also includes support for infrastructure development in Banana, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Maputo, Mozambique.

These arrangements are intended to improve access to port infrastructure and provide additional capacity for the company’s expanding container shipping network.

Jesper Kanstrup, Managing Director Sub-Region Africa at Hapag-Lloyd, identified Africa as a key growth market, with network expansion and capacity development expected to follow customer demand.

The target of 1.7 million TEU by 2030 represents a further increase from the company’s reported 2026 milestone, although Hapag-Lloyd has not outlined annual volume targets for the intervening years.

The company’s expansion plans reflect its continued focus on developing container transport connections across Africa while securing the terminal capacity and regional infrastructure needed to support future growth.