Top African Ports with Highest Improvement in CPPI: World Bank 2024/2023

In Summary

• The 2025 edition of the CPPI covers global data from 2024 (comparing against 2023) and draws on more than 175,000 vessel calls and 247 million container moves across 403 container ports. 
• Improvement means a reduction in “time vessels spend in port.” Shorter port stays for container ships translate into better efficiency. 
• The 2025 CPPI results show that in global shipping, for African ports, performance comes from execution, that is, effective management, modest infrastructure upgrades, and logistics discipline rather than scale alone.

Deep Dive!!

Lagos, Nigeria, Saturday, November 29 – The latest edition of the CPPI was formally released in 2025, presenting a comprehensive global assessment of container‑port performance covering the year 2024.  

The CPPI is a global benchmark jointly produced by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence.  It tracks how efficiently container ports handle traffic, focusing not only on the volume of containers but more critically on the total vessel time in port, which means the elapsed time from when a ship arrives at the port to when it departs after loading/unloading containers. 

This metric makes CPPI less about how big or busy a port is and more about how well it performs operationally.

That means a port’s structural limitations (size, throughput capacity, hinterland network) matter less than how efficiently and reliably it runs operations, how integrated its logistics chain is, and how effectively governance enables throughput.

Since its first edition in 2021, CPPI has become a reference point for port authorities, governments, investors, shipping lines, and supply‑chain stakeholders, offering a comparable, data‑driven way to benchmark ports globally.  

The 2020–2024 edition (released in 2025) adds a multi‑year trend analysis, enabling not only cross‑section comparison but tracking whether ports are improving, stable, or declining over time. 

The CPPI’s latest data shows that some African ports are breaking out of constraints, improving performance significantly through targeted reforms, investments in terminal operations, and better coordination with logistics and customs. 

Here are the six African ports on the list:

6. Qasr Ahmed Port, Libya

Qasr Ahmed Port, also known as Misrata Port, sits along Libya’s strategic Gulf of Sidra and is the main maritime gateway for Misrata, the country’s largest industrial hub outside Tripoli. 

In the World Bank’s 2025 Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), the port achieved a 67.9-point improvement between 2023 and 2024, placing it among the top six African ports in efficiency gains. 

The port operates as part of the Misrata Free Zone, which ranges roughly 250 hectares and is designed to facilitate trade through favorable regulatory and tax frameworks. Its current infrastructure includes seven container berths, two silo berths, a Ro-Ro berth, and modern handling equipment such as gantry cranes, reach stackers, and forklifts. 

Recent reports indicate ongoing investments, including plans to expand quay length, deepen berths, and increase container-handling capacity to approximately five million TEUs annually. While these plans indicate a forward-looking modernization agenda, their completion status during 2023–2024 is not fully documented, and no publicly available report details the direct connection between these infrastructure initiatives and the observed CPPI improvement.

Operationally, Qasr Ahmed is managed under a complex governance environment. The Government of National Unity oversees the port, but local port authorities, industrial operators, and private shipping companies play crucial roles in day-to-day operations. 

Efficiency improvements reflected in the CPPI may therefore derive from more disciplined berth management, optimized cargo stacking, better scheduling, or seasonal variations in vessel traffic. 

Despite this, Qasr Ahmed’s CPPI gain shows the port’s strategic importance. Its location along the North African Mediterranean coast, combined with links to coastal highways connecting Tripoli and Benghazi, positions it as a trade crossroads between North Africa, Europe, and sub-Saharan corridors. 

In a country where political fragmentation and security challenges complicate governance, even modest operational improvements at the port indicate significant managerial capacity and responsiveness to logistical demands. 

For analysts and investors, Qasr Ahmed’s performance signals a potential upward trajectory if modernization plans are realized and governance structures stabilize.

5. Damietta Port, Egypt 

Damietta Port, located on Egypt’s northern Mediterranean coast, has long served as a strategic hub for the country’s trade and industrial activity. Its appearance among Africa’s most improved ports in the World Bank’s 2025 Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) reflects gains in operational efficiency, underpinned by deliberate infrastructure expansion, institutional coordination, and modernization initiatives executed over the 2023–2024 period. 

With an 86.7-point increase, Damietta demonstrates the potential of targeted port investments to enhance both national and regional trade competitiveness.

At the center of this transformation is the Tahya Misr 1 Container Terminal, developed under a public-private partnership between the Egyptian government and an international consortium of port operators. This terminal introduces advanced container-handling equipment, including high-capacity quay cranes and electric Rubber-Tyred Gantry (RTG) cranes, which significantly improve loading and unloading operations while reducing energy consumption. 

The terminal’s 1,970-meter quay, 18-meter depth, and nearly one million square meters of back-yard space position Damietta to handle larger vessels and higher container volumes, with an estimated annual capacity of 3.5 million TEUs. Complementing container operations, a bulk cargo terminal supports grain, fertilizer, and raw material handling, diversifying the port’s throughput and enhancing logistical resilience.

Institutional and operational reforms have also contributed to Damietta’s improved efficiency. The port benefits from integrated digital systems that streamline customs clearance, scheduling, and cargo tracking, ensuring faster turnaround times. Its connectivity to Egypt’s national logistics corridors, including road and rail links to inland dry ports and industrial zones, facilitates smoother movement of goods beyond the port perimeter. 

Governance and financing frameworks have reinforced these gains. The Egyptian government’s long-term concession model encourages accountability and aligns private-sector incentives with public objectives, while co-financing from international institutions such as the IFC, EBRD, and AIIB provides both credibility and technical oversight. This combination of infrastructure, governance, and operational efficiency explains Damietta’s measurable improvement in CPPI and underscores the port’s strategic relevance in regional maritime trade.

Damietta’s example highlights how deliberate, well-executed port reforms can produce tangible results in operational performance, providing both immediate efficiency gains and long-term capacity for regional trade expansion. 

Its rise in CPPI serves as a model for other African ports seeking to translate investment and policy interventions into verifiable operational outcomes.

4. Port of Dakar, Senegal 

Dakar Port’s 2024–2023 CPPI improvement of 104.7 points positions it among Africa’s most significantly enhanced container terminals. The port’s turnaround reflects deliberate infrastructure investments, operational reforms, and stronger institutional coordination that together have transformed it from a regional bottleneck into a model of efficiency for West Africa. This improvement signifies concrete operational gains that affect both domestic trade and transshipment activities for landlocked countries across the Sahel.

At the core of this success is the modernization of the Dakar container terminal under a long-term concession to DP World. Since taking over operations, DP World has implemented a series of infrastructure upgrades, including the introduction of high-capacity quay cranes, electric Rubber-Tyred Gantry (RTG) cranes, and expanded container storage yards. 

These investments have enhanced container handling, reduced vessel dwell times, and increased the port’s capacity to process larger volumes efficiently. By April 2024, the terminal recorded its highest monthly throughput of 77,680 TEUs, demonstrating measurable operational improvements that directly feed into CPPI calculations.

Complementing these physical upgrades are systemic operational reforms. The port implemented a port-community system to streamline communication between operators, customs, and logistics providers, reducing administrative delays and improving scheduling accuracy. Improved labor coordination, optimized yard management, and better berth scheduling further contributed to shorter turnaround times, ensuring that the port operates closer to its maximum efficiency potential. These measures highlight the combination of infrastructure and process reforms that underpin the CPPI improvement.

Dakar’s integration with national and regional logistics networks has also played a significant role. Improved road and rail connections facilitate faster cargo movement to inland markets and to landlocked neighboring countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. This connectivity ensures that containers move efficiently beyond the port, reducing congestion and operational bottlenecks. It reflects a deliberate strategy by the Senegalese government to link port efficiency with broader economic and regional trade objectives.

Institutionally, the partnership between DP World and the Senegalese authorities demonstrates the value of public–private collaboration. The concession model aligns operational incentives with state objectives, ensuring accountability while fostering private-sector efficiency. This arrangement, combined with regulatory improvements and enhanced digital systems, supports the port’s reliability and resilience, contributing to a sustainable improvement in CPPI metrics.

Dakar’s rise in CPPI shows the port’s growing strategic relevance for Senegal and West Africa. Beyond faster cargo handling and operational gains, it strengthens the country’s position as a regional trade hub, attracts investment, and provides a replicable model for port-driven development across the continent. 

The port’s improvements reflect not only infrastructure expansion but also disciplined execution, governance, and operational modernization, a combination that exemplifies measurable, results-driven progress in Africa’s maritime sector.

3. Coega (Ngqura) Port, South Africa 

Coega (Ngqura) Port, situated near Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape, is South Africa’s most modern deep-water port and a key node in the country’s industrial and maritime strategy. Its 160.4-point improvement in the 2024–2023 CPPI reflects measurable operational gains achieved through infrastructure expansion, operational efficiency programs, and strategic integration with the Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ). These gains reveal South Africa’s commitment to improving port performance despite persistent national energy and logistics challenges.

The port’s expansion over the past decade has included a deepening of its berths to 18 meters, the installation of high-capacity quay cranes capable of handling the latest generation of container vessels, and the implementation of advanced container yard management systems. 

These infrastructure upgrades have increased the port’s container-handling capacity to approximately 2.5 million TEUs annually and reduced vessel turnaround times, directly contributing to its CPPI improvement. The deep-water design allows Coega to accommodate larger vessels that cannot dock at older South African ports, enhancing the country’s competitiveness in global maritime trade.

Operational efficiency has been further strengthened by digitization initiatives and coordinated management within the Coega IDZ framework. The integration of port and industrial zone operations allows for smoother cargo flow between the terminal and nearby manufacturing and logistics facilities, reducing congestion and improving overall throughput. Enhanced scheduling, container tracking systems, and automated yard processes have optimized handling operations, which are key drivers of the measured CPPI gains.

Strategically, Coega benefits from South Africa’s broader logistics network, including rail and road connections linking the port to Gauteng’s industrial heartland. These links support the movement of exports such as automotive components, steel, and agricultural products while facilitating imports necessary for regional industrial supply chains. Government policies incentivizing private-sector investment in port services and logistics infrastructure have further supported Coega’s efficiency, demonstrating the importance of institutional coordination in achieving measurable performance gains.

Despite these improvements, challenges remain. National energy constraints and occasional congestion in the broader logistics network limit the port’s full operational potential. Nevertheless, the gains captured by CPPI indicate a strong trajectory of progress, highlighting how targeted infrastructure investment, operational reform, and integration with industrial strategy can produce tangible results even in complex governance environments.

Coega’s improvement serves as a model for African ports seeking to enhance global competitiveness. By aligning physical expansion, operational efficiency, and industrial integration, the port illustrates how systematic, measurable reforms translate into both operational outcomes and broader economic impact.

2. Cotonou Port, Benin

Cotonou Port, Benin’s primary maritime gateway, recorded a remarkable 226.7-point increase in the 2024–2023 CPPI. This gain reflects a combination of strategic infrastructure investment, operational reforms, and enhanced institutional coordination that together have strengthened efficiency, reduced vessel turnaround times, and elevated the port’s role in regional trade networks.

The port’s turnaround is anchored in a series of modernization initiatives led by both the Beninese government and private-sector operators. Key upgrades include the acquisition of new quay cranes, the expansion of container storage areas, and the implementation of modern yard-handling equipment. These enhancements have increased the port’s handling capacity, allowing it to accommodate larger vessels and process higher volumes of containers with reduced congestion. Recent performance reports indicate that average vessel dwell time has significantly declined, demonstrating a measurable operational improvement that aligns directly with CPPI metrics.

Operational efficiency has also improved through the adoption of digital systems for cargo tracking, scheduling, and customs clearance. By streamlining coordination between terminal operators, customs authorities, and logistics providers, Cotonou Port has reduced administrative delays and optimized the flow of goods both within the terminal and to the hinterland. These operational reforms have been particularly impactful for landlocked countries in the region, such as Niger and Burkina Faso, which rely heavily on Cotonou as a trade gateway.

Institutional reforms have played a crucial role in this performance. The port operates under a framework that encourages public-private collaboration, with concessions for terminal operations that align operator incentives with government objectives. This governance model has supported accountability, operational discipline, and continuous performance monitoring, ensuring that infrastructure investments translate into tangible efficiency gains.

Connectivity to regional logistics corridors has further reinforced the port’s competitiveness. Improved road and rail links facilitate smoother inland transport, enhancing supply-chain reliability for both imports and exports. The port’s efficiency gains are therefore not limited to the terminal itself but extend to the broader regional trade network, amplifying its impact on economic activity across West Africa.

Cotonou Port’s CPPI improvement demonstrates how targeted infrastructure upgrades, operational modernization, and coordinated governance can transform a port’s performance. Its rise serves as a benchmark for other African ports, showing that measurable, results-driven reforms can significantly enhance competitiveness, regional integration, and trade facilitation across the continent.

1. Cape Town Port, South Africa

Cape Town Port, located at the southern tip of Africa, serves as a critical maritime gateway connecting South Africa to global shipping routes along the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Its 237.9-point increase in the 2024–2023 CPPI reflects substantial operational improvements, infrastructure upgrades, and institutional measures that enhanced efficiency and reduced turnaround times. These gains reveal the port’s strategic importance for both regional trade and the broader South African economy.

The port’s transformation is anchored in targeted infrastructure investments, including the expansion and modernization of container terminals, the refurbishment of quay cranes, and the implementation of advanced cargo-handling equipment. These upgrades have significantly improved container throughput and vessel turnaround times. In particular, the introduction of automated stacking cranes and enhanced yard management systems has increased operational predictability, a key factor in the CPPI’s measurement of port performance.

Operational reforms have complemented physical upgrades. Cape Town Port has strengthened scheduling systems, optimized berth allocation, and improved coordination between port authorities, shipping lines, and logistics operators. These changes have not only reduced congestion but also enhanced the reliability of shipping schedules, allowing the port to accommodate increased vessel traffic with minimal delays. Digitization initiatives, including integrated port-community systems, have further streamlined customs clearance and cargo tracking, ensuring more efficient operations.

Institutionally, the port benefits from a strong governance framework under Transnet National Ports Authority, which emphasizes accountability, performance monitoring, and private-sector collaboration. Strategic partnerships with logistics providers and private terminal operators have aligned operational incentives with efficiency objectives, ensuring that infrastructure and process upgrades translate into measurable performance gains.

Cape Town Port’s improved CPPI performance also reflects broader logistics integration. Rail and road networks connecting the port to Gauteng and other industrial hubs facilitate rapid movement of goods inland, enhancing supply-chain efficiency. These connections are particularly vital for South Africa’s export sectors, including automotive, agricultural, and manufactured goods, allowing Cape Town to serve as a reliable gateway to international markets.

Despite ongoing challenges, including occasional congestion and energy-related constraints in the national logistics network, Cape Town Port’s improvement highlights the impact of targeted investment, process reform, and institutional coordination. The port’s performance demonstrates how operational modernization, supported by governance and infrastructure planning, can yield measurable efficiency gains and strengthen a country’s position in global maritime trade.

The 2024–2023 CPPI improvements show that targeted infrastructure, operational reforms, and governance coordination drive measurable port efficiency in Africa. These gains, seen from Cotonou to Coega, provide a foundation for stronger regional trade and highlight the importance of sustained modernization to maintain and expand competitiveness moving forward.