MSC launches direct shipping service connecting Europe and West Africa

WEST AFRICA – Switzerland-based shipping company MSC has announced a new direct service connecting trade between Europe and West Africa. The company’s first direct service from NWC to Angola, Congo, and DR Congo aims to provide faster transport of dry, reefer, and project cargoes.

The new MSC NWC-Morocco to West Africa service will offer a direct call to Pointe Noire with transit times of 23 days from Rotterdam, 21 days from Antwerp, and 19 days from Le Havre.

 Additionally, there will be a direct call to Luanda with transit times of 25 days from Rotterdam, 23 days from Antwerp, and 21 days from Le Havre, along with expanded trade access to Matadi (DR Congo) from Pointe Noire via feeder service.

“Direct service will be complemented by our intermodal solutions from Pointe Noire to key capitals of Kinshasa and Brazzaville. Additionally, our intermodal presence in Angola allows for the delivery of cargoes from Luanda to inland destinations,” MSC said.

The enhanced rotation started from week 48 on 25 November 2024 with MSC SUEZ voyage WM448A and will rotate from “Rotterdam – Antwerp – Le Havre – Casablanca – Las Palmas – Dakar – Conakry – Lome – Pointe Noire – Luanda.

According to the European Commission, West Africa is the EU’s largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa.

The EU is the main export market for West African transformed products, which consist mainly of fuels and food products. In turn, West Africa’s imports from the EU consist of fuels, food products, machinery, and chemicals and pharmaceutical products.

This new service is in addition to its existing NWC to WAF service. In January 2024, MSC announced enhancements to its Europe-South Africa shipping services.

The NWC to South Africa route added Bremerhaven as a direct stop, starting March 2024. The new rotation of the service will be as follows: London Gateway – Rotterdam – Antwerp – Hamburg – Bremerhaven – Le Havre – Sines – Las Palmas – Coega – Durban – Coega – Cape Town – Las Palmas – London Gateway.

MSC also introduced the Ingonyama feeder service, linking East London with Coega in South Africa, offering improved connectivity and alternatives to road transport for South African cargo.

 The new service created a direct sea connection between the manufacturing hub of East London and one of South Africa’s main ports, providing a practical alternative to truck transport between the two.

MSC also said the feeder service will provide improved options for customers shipping goods from the industrial hub of East London with connections to MSC’s global network.

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