August 21st, 2025 – Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) is expanding its South Africa–U.S. East Coast service to include select West African ports, a move that coincides with Maersk’s decision to exit its direct Africa–U.S. trade and the introduction of new U.S. tariffs on South African imports.
The carrier announced that the direct service it launched in May will add a northbound call at Ivory Coast’s Port of San-Pedro and a southbound call at Togo’s Port of Lomé starting October 1st. On the U.S. side, the rotation will cover New York and New Jersey, Baltimore, and Savannah, with seasonal calls at Philadelphia and transshipment through Freeport, Bahamas. The loop will deploy eight ships, supported by four additional vessels to maintain schedule reliability.
The expansion comes as Maersk prepares to discontinue its Amex service between South Africa and the U.S. East Coast in October. Once Amex ends, Maersk customers will need to route African cargo through Europe to access U.S. markets.
MSC is also leveraging its expanded terminal footprint across Africa, bolstered by its 2021 acquisition of Bolloré Group’s 16 marine terminals. Its Terminal Investment Ltd. arm operates Lomé’s largest marine terminal and manages Ivory Coast’s primary cocoa export facility.
While the Africa–North America trade lane remains relatively small, MSC dominates the market. Imports from Africa to the U.S. totaled 120,972 TEUs in 2024, with MSC carrying 48% and Maersk 38% [according to PIERS]. U.S. exports to Africa reached 280,097 TEUs, with MSC and Maersk holding 37% and 33% shares, respectively.
This year, MSC has further strengthened its lead. Through August 15th, it captured 54% of Africa–U.S. imports, compared with Maersk’s 34%. Second-quarter volumes from Africa rose 24% over the previous quarter.
The shift in market dynamics comes against the backdrop of new trade headwinds: the Trump administration imposed a 30% tariff on South African imports beginning August 7th, adding fresh challenges for shippers.
