Freight News, Sea

Hapag-Lloyd Expands West Africa Footprint

[ May 11, 2026   //   Gary Burrows ]

Hapag-Lloyd has opened a new office in Cotonou, expanding its presence in West Africa and strengthening direct customer engagement in the Benin market.

The move reflects the growing importance of Benin as a regional trade hub, with the Port of Cotonou serving as a gateway to inland markets including Niger and Burkina Faso.

Hapag-Lloyd has previously served the market through its regional network. The new office is expected to improve responsiveness and support more tailored logistics solutions as trade volumes increase.

“Opening our new office in Benin is an important step in strengthening our presence in West Africa,” said Jesper Kanstrup, managing director for Africa.

The expansion aligns with the carrier’s broader Strategy 2030 growth plans and underscores increasing competition among global carriers to build local presence in emerging African logistics markets.

Tags: Hapag-Lloyd