By Eddah Waithaka
Kenya and 18 other African nations have ramped up efforts to launch a joint regional shipping line, aiming to shield their economies from recurring global supply chain disruptions and soaring commodity prices.
Delegates from Eastern, Southern, and Northern Africa convened in Nairobi under the banner of the Maritime Organisation for Eastern, Southern and Northern Africa (MOESNA) to review draft feasibility studies.
The reports outline the creation of a new shipping line alongside a regional maritime cargo protocol, a move designed to return control of Africa’s maritime trade to the continent.
MOESNA Secretary-General Kassim Mpata emphasized that the initiative directly addresses a critical gap in the region’s maritime capacity.
He noted that while nearly 90 per cent of Africa’s international trade travels by sea, regional connectivity remains dangerously weak.
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“We do not have a regional cargo protocol to encourage investment in vessels. We lack a regional framework for collaboration among indigenous shipping lines, and as a result, we continue operating in silos,” Mpata said.
“This framework will allow us to promote vessel ownership, improve collaboration, and strengthen the region’s maritime trade.”
The proposed cargo protocol establishes common rules for vessel movement within the region, actively encourages investment in coastal shipping services, and supports the growth of local shipping lines, areas where multinational operators have long dominated.
Mpata warned that the absence of a coordinated maritime policy leaves African economies vulnerable to external shocks, especially volatile global freight charges.
“We must view ourselves as one entity when it comes to maritime affairs. Working together is not sufficient; we need protocols that guide this collaboration,” he said, urging member states to prioritize ratification once the framework finalizes.
Aden Millah, Principal Secretary of the State Department for Shipping and Maritime Affairs, echoed these concerns, stating that reliance on foreign shipping lines stifles regional trade and exposes nations to unpredictable pricing.
“International companies hold us at their mercy. We have no control over the charges they impose or the rules of the game they dictate,” Millah said.
