A strategic corridor connecting Asia and Africa

The growing trade flows between Asia and Africa are creating increasingly complex logistics requirements, calling for maritime services capable of combining scale, efficiency and flexibility. The Grimaldi Group’s East Asia – South Africa – West Africa service is designed to meet these needs by providing direct and reliable connections between China’s leading industrial and ro-ro manufacturing hubs and strategic markets across Africa.

Two recent operations provide a clear illustration of the service’s capabilities. On 2 August, the ro-ro multipurpose vessel Great Abidjan made a record-breaking call at the Port of Tema (Ghana), setting a new operational benchmark: the vessel discharged some 3,100 lane metres of rolling freight, 1,100 light vehicles, 350 TEUs and 120 lane metres of project cargo transported on mafi trailers.

The scale and diversity of the cargo handled during a single port call underlined the capacity of the service to respond to the demands of customers operating across different segments of the Asia–Africa trade. The operation also demonstrated the efficiency and reliability of a network designed to handle substantial cargo volumes while maintaining competitive transit times.

Operating on a fortnightly basis, the link connects the Chinese ports of Taicang and Ningbo with Lagos (Nigeria) in 30 days and Tema in 32 days, while offering particularly competitive connections between Durban and West Africa, with transit times of 8 days to Lagos and 10 days to Tema.

Capacity and convenience, however, are only two of the strengths of the service. Its ability to accommodate special and oversized cargo is equally important.

A recent shipment aboard the Great Casablanca further demonstrated this flexibility: a 197-metric-ton transformer, measuring 13.435 × 3.81 × 4.17 metres, was loaded in Taicang on 23 August and arrived in Lagos on 23 September.

The transformer was shipped together with seven containers, providing a concrete example of how Grimaldi’s G5-class vessels can combine oversized and heavy project cargo with conventional ro-ro and containerized freight on the same sailing.

This was the first of three transformers set to be transported by the Group in 2026, with at least three more planned for 2027. The continuity of this program further highlights the service’s ability to provide a reliable logistics solution for complex and specialized cargo requirements over the longer term.

Upon arrival in Lagos, the cargo was discharged at Ports and Terminal Multiservices Ltd (PTML), the largest ro-ro terminal in West Africa, owned by the Grimaldi Group.

Together, these two operations underscore the strategic role of the East Asia – South Africa – West Africa service within the Grimaldi Group’s international network. The route connects China, South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana, while the strategic PTML hub in Nigeria extends its reach across a wider range of West African markets, from Casablanca (Morocco) to Luanda (Angola).

This extensive connectivity is provided by the latest-generation G5-class vessels, such as the Great Abidjan and Great Casablanca, which combine high cargo capacity with enhanced environmental performance. Their advanced design enables a reduction of up to 43% in CO₂ emissions per tonne of cargo transported, contributing to more efficient and sustainable maritime logistics.

From the record volumes handled in Tema to the transportation of exceptionally heavy project cargo in the China-Nigeria maritime corridor, these operations demonstrate the service’s ability to adapt to different cargo types while maintaining reliable connections and competitive transit times.

By combining capacity, flexibility and efficiency, Grimaldi’s East Asia – South Africa – West Africa link is strengthening its position as a strategic maritime corridor between two of the world’s most dynamic trading regions.