Morocco’s Tanger Med Port has emerged as Africa’s busiest container port, handling 11.1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2025, more than twice the volume recorded by its closest competitor, Port Said in Egypt, according to a ranking published by The African Exponent.
According to statistics by The African Exponent, the ranking, which identifies the continent’s 10 busiest ports based on container traffic, places Tanger Med firmly at the top, with Port Said in second position after handling 4.44 million TEUs.
South Africa’s Durban Port occupies third place with 2.75 million TEUs, followed by Egypt’s Alexandria Port with 2.5 million TEUs.
Togo’s Port of Lomé ranks fifth with 2.4 million TEUs, while Ghana’s Tema Port takes sixth position with 2.29 million TEUs.
Kenya’s Mombasa Port occupies seventh place, recording 2.11 million TEUs, followed by Egypt’s Damietta Port with 1.8 million TEUs.
Côte d’Ivoire’s Port of Abidjan ranks ninth with 1.7 million TEUs, while Morocco’s Casablanca Port completes the top 10 with 1.13 million TEUs.
The figures highlight the growing importance of North African ports in the continent’s maritime trade, with Morocco and Egypt accounting for five of the 10 positions on the list.
Tanger Med’s performance is particularly significant, as its 11.1 million TEUs represent approximately 2.5 times the container volume handled by Port Said, the second-ranked port.
The presence of ports in Ghana, Togo and Côte d’Ivoire also underscores the contribution of West African maritime gateways to regional and international trade, while Mombasa remains a major logistics hub for East Africa.
The ranking points to the increasing role of port infrastructure, cargo-handling capacity and maritime connectivity in facilitating trade, supporting supply chains and strengthening Africa’s participation in global commerce.
The figures are presented as 2025 container-handling volumes, although the graphic carries a 2026 ranking title. It also identifies three of the figures as estimates.
