MSC Drives West Africa Into Big Ship Trade Rankings

Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC), the global leader in container shipping, has propelled West Africa into Alphaliner’s top 10 list of shipping routes served by the largest vessels in operation.

Earlier this year, MSC began reallocating some of its biggest ships—originally servicing the Asia-Europe corridor—to meet the rising demand on the Asia–West Africa route. This shift has caused the average ship size on the route to surge by 28%, growing from 6,343 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) to 8,127 TEU. The upward trend is expected to continue as MSC deploys more of its ultra-large 24,000 TEU class ships to this increasingly vital trade lane.

A significant milestone occurred in April when the MSC Diletta, with a carrying capacity of 23,782 TEU, became the largest container vessel to berth at Togo’s Port of Lomé. This was soon followed by the MSC Türkiye, a 24,346 TEU vessel, making its first appearance at the same port.

Both vessels—nearly 400 meters in length—have also called at other key West African ports, including Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire, Tema in Ghana, and Kribi in Cameroon. Their arrival signals the region’s improved infrastructure and readiness to accommodate some of the biggest ships afloat.

“The volume of business and trade between Asia and Africa, particularly West Africa, is experiencing rapid growth,” MSC stated in a release last month, adding: “MSC’s bold move to deploy these 24,000 TEU vessels marks a new chapter for West African trade. As these giants of the sea become a regular presence, the region stands poised to experience a significant transformation in its economic landscape, unlocking new opportunities for growth and development.”

With this strategic redeployment, MSC is not only capitalizing on the evolving demand between Asia and Africa but is also reshaping global shipping dynamics—placing West Africa firmly on the map as a growing hub for mega-container ship traffic.