Hapag-Lloyd plans to expand East Africa services via Mombasa
Mombasa competes with Dar es Salaam for this inland traffic, and service frequency is a key factor in routing decisions.
KENYA – Hapag-Lloyd has announced plans to strengthen its East African presence by leveraging the Port of Mombasa as its strategic gateway, following a meeting with Kenya Ports Authority officials, according to a KPA statement.
The shipping line currently operates two services linking Asia to East Africa via Mombasa and Dar es Salaam.
Altamush Ahmed, Area East Africa Managing Director, and Dirk Van Niekerk, Operator Director at Hanseatic Global Terminal, led the Hapag-Lloyd delegation.
Network expansion and port infrastructure
Discussions between the carrier and KPA centered on ongoing port expansion projects, Special Economic Zones, and opportunities at the Port of Lamu.
The engagement follows Hapag-Lloyd’s September 2026 expansion of its cooperation with DP World to secure long-term terminal capacity in Dakar, Luanda and Dar es Salaam, and to provide port infrastructure support in Banana and Maputo.
In addition, Hapag-Lloyd expects its transport volumes in Africa to exceed 1 million TEU in 2026. The carrier reported transport volumes of 3.5 million TEU in the second quarter of 2026, with revenue of US$5.7 billion in its Liner Shipping segment and an EBIT margin of 10.0%.
For Kenyan logistics operators, Hapag-Lloyd’s commitment matters because carrier rotation decisions determine which ports capture transit cargo destined for Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, eastern DRC, and South Sudan.
Mombasa competes with Dar es Salaam for this inland traffic, and service frequency is a key factor in routing decisions.
Lamu’s emerging role and SEZ potential
The Port of Lamu’s inclusion in discussions signals growing carrier interest in Kenya’s second commercial seaport.
Lamu handled nearly 800,000 metric tonnes in 2025, and in September 2026 the MV Hamouna discharged about 5,200 TEUs in a single call, the largest single discharge at any Kenyan port.
Meanwhile, the planned Dangote East Africa Refinery at Lamu, a Sh2.2 trillion (US$17 billion) project designed to process 700,000 barrels per day, is expected to generate substantial cargo volumes once operational.
Moreover, Kenya plans to add 21 berths at Lamu by 2030 via public-private partnerships.
The Special Economic Zones along the Mombasa corridor, including the DP World-GulfCap 222-hectare development in Jomvu, offer carriers value-added logistics opportunities beyond vessel handling, linking port throughput to inland manufacturing and distribution.
Ultimately, the engagement highlights KPA’s focus on strengthening strategic partnerships and on positioning Kenya’s ports as gateways to regional and international trade.
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