In line with its investment strategy to strengthen Africa’s logistics infrastructure, Maersk today opened a new container depot with a capacity of 1,500 TEU in Kribi, Cameroon. Kribi is the growing deep-water-port beside Douala and serves also neighbouring states and countries.
Container depots are an essential link in global supply chains, connecting the ocean and inland legs of a transport chain more seamlessly and efficient for import and export. “Our customers will greatly benefit from the new facility,” he adds.
By providing specialized cargo-handling services, storage options and customs inspection and clearance services, supply chains can be accelerated by using a depot, or if needed also slowed down, e.g. in case of changing demand and overstocking. Another key advantage of a depot is the improved availability of different types of container equipment close to the customers’ own facilities.
In addition to the range of manual cargo-handling services, customers using the new Maersk depot in Kribi will also benefit from greater visibility into the status of their containers through our digital booking, tracking and monitoring solutions.
Cargo owners can also temporarily expand their storage infrastructure by integrating a Maersk depot close to their own facilities into their supply chain. This provides cost-effective flexibility compared with renting additional warehouse capacity at short notice.
The Kribi depot is equipped to handle reefer containers, helping keep temperature-sensitive goods in peak condition throughout their journey. The new depot will offer food grade containers. Last but not least, depots make it easier to return empty containers, helping avoid detention and demurrage costs for Maersk customers.
With the newly opened facility, Maersk now offers customers dedicated services in eight Maersk-owned depots across West Africa, in addition to more than 20 depots operated by third-party vendor partners of Maersk. The newly launched Maersk depot in Kribi adds another 16,000 sqm to a network that already includes 150,000 sqm in Maersk-owned depots and more than 280,000 sqm in third-party depots.
Maersk’s dedicated depot services are now available across ten West African countries: • Cameroon • Democratic Republic of the Congo • Gabon • The Gambia • Ghana • Ivory Coast • Mali • Nigeria • Senegal • Sierra Leone
Continuous investment in landside infrastructure is needed as many regions globally face increasing bottlenecks in terminals and hinterland logistics. These pressures are driven by strong growth in ocean transport volumes, combined with insufficient investment in port and landside infrastructure in recent years.
(Maersk)
