The CMA CGM Group inaugurates its Africa Regional Office in Abidjan

Inauguration of the Africa Regional Office in Abidjan

The CMA CGM Group inaugurated its Africa Regional Office in Abidjan on April 23, in the presence of Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Group.

Operational since February, the office brings together 110 employees and centralizes key strategic functions: commercial activities, export pricing, customer service, intermodal operations, and equipment management.

Its integrated organization and multimodal expertise enable the deployment of end-to-end logistics solutions, from maritime transport to inland corridors, through to last-mile delivery.

This new regional hub aims to enhance service quality and customer proximity, streamline operations across the entire logistics chain, and support the development of efficient hinterland corridors.

The CMA CGM Group strengthens its presence in Africa

Present on the continent for more than 50 years, the Group confirms its long-term commitment with 91 offices in 54 countries, 3,400 employees, and 33 shipping services connecting more than 80 African ports to major global markets. The Group is developing an integrated approach combining shipping, logistics, and infrastructure:

Through its subsidiary CEVA Logistics, present in more than 40 African countries, the Group is building solutions combining maritime, road, and rail transport for the delivery of sensitive cargo such as electrical transformers, from port to hinterland, contributing concretely to the development of territories and African economies. In 2025, CEVA notably launched the first decarbonized less-than-container-load (LCL) maritime service between France and Côte d’Ivoire, reducing CO₂ emissions by 84% compared to conventional maritime transport.

In a context of reshaping global trade flows, the African continent is benefiting from new development opportunities. The Group intends to support this momentum as a long-term economic partner, with a differentiated approach tailored to the realities of each country.

This strategy is reflected in concrete and visible actions across the entire value chain:

From a maritime perspective, the strengthening of the WAX1 and KILIMA services on the Asia–Africa route results in increased deployed capacity, regular frequencies, and optimized rotations directly connecting major Asian hubs to key African ports.

At the same time, the Group is deploying an integrated approach through CEVA Logistics to efficiently connect ports to inland markets, by developing multimodal corridors, warehousing capabilities, and distribution solutions tailored to local specificities. This operational footprint has recently been reinforced through the acquisition of new logistics equipment and the expansion of capacities, enhancing control over flows and service quality.

In parallel, the Group continues to invest in its African port infrastructure, with 9 terminals currently operated, by modernizing equipment, increasing handling capacities, and improving operational performance. The strengthening of strategic hubs such as the Port of Tanger Med and the Port of Kribi illustrates this approach to structuring regional and international flows, while the development of new deep-water infrastructure such as Lekki Deep Sea Port anticipates the arrival of the largest container vessels and sustainably enhances the continent’s logistics competitiveness.

ZEBOX Africa & Middle East: accelerating innovation

With the establishment of the Africa Regional Office, ZEBOX, the international innovation accelerator initiated by the CMA CGM Group, is strengthening its presence on the continent.

Launched in 2023, ZEBOX West Africa is becoming ZEBOX Africa & Middle East to expand its reach and capture the most innovative startups across this fast-growing region.

The ambition is to bring high-impact innovations to the Group, contributing to environmental performance, technological competitiveness, and employee well-being and safety.

ZEBOX Africa & Middle East identifies and sources innovative startups in Africa and the Middle East, then efficiently connects these solutions to the Group’s concrete operational needs in order to accelerate their deployment.

ZEBOX thus aims to facilitate the scaling of innovations, leveraging a network of partners and major international events such as GITEX Global.

CMA CGM Foundation: a renewed commitment to promoting access to quality education

The CMA CGM Foundation is taking a new step in its commitment to access to education in Côte d’Ivoire through the renewal of three structuring initiatives:

• Construction of a fourth school in partnership with the Magic System Foundation: Already engaged since 2023 alongside the Magic System Foundation, the CMA CGM Foundation is launching the construction of a fourth primary school in Anyama, on the outskirts of Abidjan. Following successful openings in Port-Bouët (near Ellokro), Bouaké, and San Pedro, this project will welcome an additional 300 students, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 1,200. Designed as a living space, the school will include six classrooms, a canteen, a library, sanitation facilities, an administrative block made of containers, and a multi-sports field.
• 10 additional scholarships awarded to ARSTM students: The CMA CGM Foundation is renewing its support for the “Excellence-Equity” program of the Regional Academy of Marine Science and Technology (ARSTM) in Abidjan. After funding four scholarships in 2024, it is expanding its commitment in 2026 to 10 students over three years, supporting deserving young people from modest backgrounds in accessing high-level maritime training.
• A new partnership to rehabilitate a school in Bouaké: The CMA CGM Foundation is launching a project with the ATEF OMAÏS Foundation (FATOM) to rehabilitate the Akanzakro school near Bouaké, built in 1972 and never renovated. The project includes the refurbishment of six classrooms, the construction of sanitation facilities, securing the site with fencing, and installing a container-based library. Funded by the Foundation and implemented by FATOM, it will benefit nearly 500 students and 12 teachers.

Through these initiatives, the CMA CGM Foundation, created in 2005 and chaired by Tanya Saadé Zeenny, illustrates the Group’s commitment to leveraging its logistics expertise to support high-impact social projects, in Africa and worldwide, in service of humanitarian aid and education for all.