Author: All In Maritime

Geneva — April 2025 Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the privately held Geneva-based shipping giant, has officially become the first container carrier in maritime history to operate a fleet of 900 active vessels. This momentous milestone not only reaffirms MSC’s dominance in global container shipping but also positions the company as a decisive force shaping the industry’s future across scale, efficiency, and environmental leadership. Strategic Milestone Reached According to verified vessel data collated in April 2025, the entry of the LNG-powered vessel MSC Germany into active service marked the symbolic 900th vessel in MSC’s operating fleet. This vessel, with a nominal…

By All in Maritime News | Dar es Salaam, Tanzania In the high-stakes world of marine insurance, where millions of dollars in cargo can be lost, delayed, or damaged in transit, one player often determines the fate of a claim: the marine surveyor. Positioned between shippers, consignees, underwriters, and carriers, the surveyor’s impartial documentation can mean the difference between a settled claim and a protracted legal dispute. With African ports expanding rapidly—from Beira to Mombasa and Dar es Salaam—the role of surveyors has become increasingly vital. According to the International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI), the global average cargo claim…

By All in Maritime News | Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Marine cargo disputes are rising sharply across Africa, as trade volumes increase and insurance awareness grows. While many exporters believe that damage or delay automatically guarantees compensation, claims are often denied due to poor documentation, procedural lapses, or unclear liability. According to the African Shippers’ Council, more than 18,000 cargo-related disputes were filed across Africa’s top ten ports in 2024—up 23% from 2023. The majority involved issues around partial damage, moisture deterioration, delays, and container seal breaches. 1. Common Causes of Disputes Marine cargo insurance disputes typically arise from: “Many…

July 2025 – Shimoni, Kwale County, KenyaKenya Commissions the Shimoni Fish Port: A New Era for Africa’s Blue Economy Kenya’s coastal transformation has taken a major leap forward with the official completion and commissioning of the Shimoni Fish Port, a strategic project by the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA). Now fully operational, this state-of-the-art facility is expected to boost global food security, create thousands of blue economy jobs, and position Kenya as a key player in sustainable marine exports across the Indian Ocean, Europe, and Asia. 1. World-Class Infrastructure Now Operational Purpose-built to handle trawlers, mid-sized fishing vessels, and light coastal…

By All in Maritime News | Dar es Salaam, Tanzania As Africa’s ports grow busier and more complex, a shadow threat is growing in parallel: cargo theft. From organized theft rings at container yards to petty pilferage during inland transit, insurers, port operators, and exporters are sounding the alarm. The consequences are staggering. According to the African Shippers’ Council (ASC), more than $320 million in goods were lost to cargo theft across key African ports in 2024, a 19% increase over the previous year. Ports in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, and the DRC were listed among the highest-risk areas.…

By All in Maritime News | Lagos, Nigeria As African ports modernize and expand, congestion remains a persistent challenge—causing significant delays, especially at major terminals in Lagos, Mombasa, Dar es Salaam, and Durban. These delays don’t just impact shipping schedules—they directly affect cargo condition, trade costs, and most importantly, marine insurance claims. For cargo owners, the result can be devastating: missed markets, spoiled perishables, legal battles over liability, and uncertain settlements. 1. The Congestion-Cargo Claims Nexus Port delays trigger a complex set of potential losses: According to the Africa Ports Performance Index (APPI) 2025, Lagos (Apapa) and Dar es Salaam…

By All in Maritime News | Kigali, Rwanda Across Africa, informal trade forms a lifeline for millions. From fishmongers crossing borders in dugouts to small-scale cocoa traders shipping bags to regional buyers, informal trade fuels an estimated 40–60% of intra-African commerce, according to the African Union. Yet, it remains largely uninsured—especially across maritime and cross-border logistics. The question confronting underwriters and regulators alike: Can technology finally make cargo insurance accessible to Africa’s informal traders? 1. The Uninsured Majority Informal and small-scale exporters typically avoid cargo insurance for five main reasons: According to a 2024 study by the Eastern and Southern…

By All in Maritime News | Nairobi, Kenya The freight clearing industry in Eastern Africa is on the brink of a digital upheaval. As artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and data-driven platforms seep into global logistics operations, a critical question is emerging: Will human customs agents and brokers be replaced by digital systems? This in-depth report examines the pace of digitization in Eastern Africa’s clearance industry, the capabilities of AI systems in customs and cargo processing, and whether traditional clearing agents are evolving or becoming obsolete. 1. The Rise of Digital Clearance Platforms Across Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Uganda, customs authorities…

By All in Maritime News | Accra, Ghana As African trade volumes grow and climate-linked disruptions increase, the marine insurance industry is searching for new models that are faster, fairer, and more data-driven. One approach gaining traction globally—and now slowly emerging across African ports and trade corridors—is parametric marine insurance. Unlike traditional indemnity policies that require loss assessment and physical proof, parametric insurance pays out based on predefined triggers—such as wind speed, wave height, temperature excursions, or shipment delays—measured through third-party or satellite data. This model holds unique promise for Africa, where claims bottlenecks, infrastructure gaps, and dispute-prone environments often…

By All in Maritime News | Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire Perishable cargo trade is booming across Africa, with exports of fish, fruit, meat, and pharmaceuticals rising year-on-year. But as volumes grow, so do disputes—particularly around refrigerated cargo (reefer) claims, where damage or quality loss often results in high-value insurance cases. Despite improved cold chain infrastructure in key ports, reefer claims remain among the most contested and expensive marine insurance categories in Africa. This investigative feature explores the real risks, systemic failures, and how industry players like Observater Surveys and Services Ltd are tackling the cold chain crisis with science-backed inspections. 1.…