French shipping company CMA CGM has agreed to invest $820 million (Ksh106 billion) to modernize and expand two terminals at the Port of Mombasa under a cooperation framework with the Kenyan government. The company has been present in Kenya since 2005.
The investment will raise cargo-handling capacity, strengthen regional trade corridors, and enhance Kenya's connectivity to global shipping routes amid growing maritime demand. The upgrade is expected to support rising trade volumes, improve supply-chain efficiency, and position Mombasa as a stronger regional trade hub for local, regional, and international markets.
Mombasa hosts East Africa's largest port and serves several landlocked countries, including Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The investment will also improve inland logistics networks linking Kenya to East and Central Africa.
The project builds on Kenya's push to modernize port infrastructure through public-private partnerships. In April 2025, the country's National Treasury announced it was pursuing a PPP model to upgrade the ports of Mombasa and Lamu, with plans to finance the upgrades through infrastructure bonds sold to long-term investors such as pension funds and insurance firms.
CMA CGM stated that the agreement with the Kenyan government is part of a broader strategy to develop port infrastructure, integrate logistics, and decarbonize transport chains across Africa. The company currently operates and develops nine container terminals on the continent, including the Kribi Container Terminal in Cameroon, the Lekki Deep Sea Port in Nigeria, and a new deepwater terminal in Pointe-Noire, Congo.
Key Takeaways:
1. CMA CGM will invest $820 million to modernize and expand two terminals at the Port of Mombasa.
2. The investment will raise cargo-handling capacity and strengthen Kenya's connectivity to global shipping routes.
3. Mombasa serves landlocked countries including Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
4. Kenya announced plans in April 2025 to upgrade Mombasa and Lamu ports through a public-private partnership model.
5. CMA CGM operates nine container terminals across Africa and continues its port infrastructure development strategy.
