France’s CMA CGM has agreed to invest $820 million to modernise and expand two terminals at the Port of Mombasa under a co-operation framework with the Kenyan government.
The firm announced the deal, signed on the sidelines of the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi earlier this week, co-hosted by Kenya’s President William Ruto and France’s Emmanuel Macron.
The investment will upgrade two Mombasa Container Terminals at a time when the port is seeing increased cargo flows. Last year, Mombasa handled 2.11 million TEUs, a growth of 5.5 percent from the previous year.
CMA CGM, present in Kenya since 2005, said the investment will raise cargo-handling capacity, strengthen regional trade corridors, and enhance Kenya’s connectivity to global shipping routes amid growing maritime demand.
The upgrade is expected to support rising trade volumes, improve supply chain efficiency, and position Mombasa as a stronger regional hub for local, regional and international markets.
It will also improve inland logistics networks linking Kenya to East and Central Africa.
Mombasa hosts East Africa’s largest port and serves several landlocked countries, including Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
With record cargo levels, Mombasa is said to be operating at almost full capacity. This has prompted the government to introduce reforms, including transitioning the port into a landlord model. In April, the National Treasury said it had opened several Kenya Ports Authority assets to private investors.
These include Mombasa Port Container Terminal II (berths 20-22) and Mombasa Port Container Terminal (berths 23-24).
The CMA CGM investment is likely happening under this arrangement, as the company has pledged to reinforce its logistics and maritime capacities in East and Central Africa.
The company added that the agreement with the Kenyan government was part of a broader strategy to develop port infrastructure, integrate logistics, and decarbonise transport chains across Africa.
CMA CGM said its funding for Mombasa follows the recent opening of an African regional office in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
In recent years, CMA CGM has become heavily involved in port upgrades across Africa. In Nigeria, for instance, it is part of the 100 percent electric barge project at the Lekki Deep Sea Port. In Egypt and Morocco, the company has also invested in container terminal infrastructure.
CMA CGM is currently involved in the operation and development of nine container terminals on the continent, including Kribi in Cameroon, Lekki in Nigeria, and a new deepwater terminal in Pointe Noire, Congo.
While Mombasa attracted the French deal, Kenya’s greenfield port of Lamu also celebrated an operational milestone this week.
The port received MV Baltimore Express, the largest containership ever to dock at any port in East and Central Africa. The Post-Panamax vessel, measuring 369 metres in length, arrived from Oman’s Salalah port.
In 2025, Lamu’s cargo volume rose by more than 900 percent, from 74,380 tonnes in 2024 to 799,161 tonnes last year, partly due to its growing transshipment role.
Lamu Port General Manager Abdulaziz Mzee said docking of MV Baltimore Express, the largest ship in East and Central Africa, signifies the facility’s ability to handle ultra-large vessels.
‘This call lifts Lamu’s profile on the global maritime map, comparable to some of the world’s most developed ports such as Singapore, Rotterdam, and Hamburg,’ said Mr Mzee.
Lamu Port is unique among regional facilities owing to its naturally deep harbour.
Its first three operational berths feature depths of 17.5 metres and quay lengths of 400 metres, accommodating massive modern Panamax vessels.
By contrast, Mombasa’s berths are 15 metres deep and 300 metres long.
Lamu is therefore designed for larger neo-Panamax vessels of up to 12,000 TEUs, while Mombasa handles smaller ships of up to 10,000 TEUs.
‘Lamu Port’s infrastructure specifications and depth allow Panamax and Post-Panamax ships to sail into the channel with minimal or no dredging. Many other African ports require constant dredging to deepen seabeds enough to accommodate mega ships and remain competitive. That’s a plus for us,’ said Mr Mzee.