Hapag-Lloyd eyes bigger African footprint after 1m TEU milestone

Hapag-Lloyd transported more than 1m TEU in Africa in 2026 for the first time in its history, as the German shipping group marked 20 years of operations in South Africa.

The German liner company, which serves 27 African countries, aims to increase its annual transport volume in Africa to 1.7m TEU by 2030. The company said that South Africa has become a cornerstone of Hapag-Lloyd’s African business since it opened its first dedicated office in the country in 2006. The local operation now employs 52 people, supporting customers across a range of industries. The business was further boosted by acquisition of Deutsche Afrika-Linien’s (DAL) container liner business in 2022, strengthening connections between South Africa, Europe and the Indian Ocean.

“Over the past 20 years, we have built strong relationships with our customers and partners in South Africa. Their trust, together with the commitment and expertise of our local teams, has been essential to our development,” said Rogelio Busto, Managing Director South & East Africa at Hapag-Lloyd. “We want to continue building on these relationships and providing the reliable services our customers need to grow their businesses.”

Hapag-Lloyd has also expanded its presence elsewhere on the continent. The acquisition of NileDutch in 2021 strengthened its position in West Africa, while the establishment of a dedicated Sub-Region Africa in 2024 was intended to accelerate business development across the continent.

This story was originally published by World Cargo News. Read the full story at World Cargo News →