Gabon and Morocco anchor Africa’s maritime future

From 26 to 28 May 2025, Gabon hosted the 13th edition of the Africa Ports Forum, a high profile platform bringing together African government officials and businessmen alike to discuss the rapidly evolving maritime sector according to Moroccan government friendly Atalayar.

Held under the theme of “The New Drivers of Port Excellence”, a series of thematic panels kept discussion centred on intra-African cooperation, environmentally sustainable port governance frameworks and transformative technological advancements.

A visible outward expression of strengthened South-South cooperation and continental solidarity, the annual forum sets out to chart a pragmatic and actionable timeline for energising the continent’s port future.

The event accelerates growing momentum within African circles for better logistical integration and port competitiveness at regional, continental and international levels. This year, much discourse revolved around anticipating potential problems that may beset progress, as well as formulating solutions on how to best supercharge digitalisation and logistical integration efforts.

Tanger Med and Libreville are two names that have stood out most as peak examples of port excellence within talks conducted by an upward of 300 experts from the maritime transport and logistics sector.

Morocco’s Port of Tanger Med has attained wide acclaim for its status as the largest, most advanced and productive port in the Mediterranean. Covering a massive 1000 hectares, the port complex spans four terminals with a total capacity of 9 million TEUs (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit), facilitating remarkable performance in container activity.

During the forum, Port of Tanger Med’s managers outlined cooperative initiatives of Morocco with Gabonese port officials, particularly praising the Gabonese port of Owendo located within Libreville.

With a direct link to the Trans-Gabon Railway running east from Gabon’s sea-facing capital city of Libreville to Franceville on the opposite end of the country, Owendo port handles an impressive 6 million tonnes of goods per year across seven fully operational loading docks.

The Republic of Gabon has demonstrated ambition in spearheading developments in the future roadmap of African ports, with its Minister of Transport unveiling the ‘Gabon Smart Port 2030’ project as hosts of the forum. Announcements include the speedy opening of another two new docks as well as mobility upgrades within the country’s maritime complex over the next five years.

King Mohammed VI of Morocco has similarly showcased an alignment in trade and export interests via his Atlantic Frontier Initiative. The initiative emphasises a strategy of economic unification in the Afro-Atlantic corridor, enabling greater momentum of joint efforts toward sustainable development goals and digitalisation reforms.

Investment in new port technologies was a recurring theme throughout the forum. Martin Boguikouma, Director General of Gabon’s OPRAG, emphasised that the only viable way to achieve the success of African port institutions hinges almost entirely on “a major transformation to a logistics ecosystem that moves away from the current traditional administration model.”

Morocco and Gabon’s maritime alliance has served as a sound testament to both North African nation’s burgeoning commitments to solidifying South-South cooperation, marking an exciting new era for African ports.

The noteworthy success accrued to Tanger Med and Libreville in each respective nation signal growing confidence that the vision of modern, efficient and competitive maritime infrastructure is not an unfathomable or far-flung utopia for African countries.

Africa Ports Forum 2025 came to a close with a resolution characterised by a common vision for all African ports to step more purposefully into their role as economic bulwarks and catalysts for regional integration.

Atalayar/ Maghrebi