With ports and shipping estimated to drive over 80% of global trade, maritime transport is amongst the most important modes of shipping used worldwide. One of its key applications is trading which, via maritime transport, enables ships to carry large shipments conveniently, thus reducing the overall cost of business. Transport by sea is particularly important for landlocked countries, as they face specific constraints imposed by geography: this is the case of Africa, where about one-third of countries are landlocked and rely heavily on shipping and ports.
Based on maritime trade data estimated by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), in 2019 African ports loaded about 7% of world maritime trade (exported) and unloaded 4.6% of this trade (imported), thus contributing large shares to globalized maritime trade. Africa’s shipping connectivity is strongly influenced by its geography: this is reflected in the fact that the best-connected regions are those at the continent’s corners, where international routes connect to hub ports. According to the UNCTAD’s Liner Shipping Connectivity Index (LSCI), two of the top five African ports during from 2006 to 2020 are in West Africa, namely the port of Lomé and the port of Tema.
Africa is one of the regions where Venia International supports companies’ successful business. Headed by Sebastien Clamorgan, an entrepreneur with more than 25 years of working experience, the firm specializes in global consulting and investment, in particular in sectors such as shipping, port management, logistics, and food & beverage. A reference point for the African and Middle Eastern markets, the firm is active in building joint ventures and partnerships, and carries out a considerable number of successful projects. The Badagry MegaPort and Free Trade Zone (Nigeria) is an example where Venia International played the role of deal maker, broker and representative of a stakeholder’ interests. Located sixty-kilometers from Lagos, the Badagry MegaPort and Free Trade Zone aims to develop one of the largest port in Africa, offering state-of-the-art facilities for all types of containers and cargoes. Since African ports tend to be connected to each other, once completed the mega-port can support a strong and widespread growth. Overseen by the Nigerian Port Authorities and developed through a partnership between private entities, this is one of the business initiative carried out by Venia International in the MENA area. Today, as a result of its successes, the firm headed by Sebastien Clamorgan is experiencing a strong economic growth and plays an increasingly important role in the region.