Planning for climate change in Africa’s maritime transport sector

This policy brief argues that Africa's maritime transport and ports sector requires a dual strategy of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building climate resilience to protect its blue economy. It highlights the risks posed by sea level rise and extreme weather, the impact of new global carbon levies, and the need for a modernized continental governance framework to coordinate the transition to green logistics hubs.

• Africa's maritime sector is a cornerstone of its blue economy, with over 90% of the continent's trade moving via maritime routes through approximately 100 ports. The sector has seen growth in recent years, with container ship port calls increasing by 20% and tanker calls by 38% between the first half of 2018 and the first half of 2023. Port output is projected to potentially reach two billion tonnes by 2040.
• Climate change poses significant threats to maritime infrastructure and trade competitiveness through sea level rise, extreme weather events, and shifting global regulations. Global port-specific risk is estimated at US$7.5 billion annually, with an additional US$63.1 billion of trade at risk each year, particularly affecting Small Island Developing States.
• The maritime industry contributes 3% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which increased by 20% over the last decade. To combat this, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) 2023 Strategy aims for emission reductions of up to 30% by 2030 and 80% by 2040, targeting net zero by 2050.
• In April 2025, the IMO approved a carbon levy that introduces a carbon price and a GHG emissions fuel standard for shipping. The document emphasizes that revenue from this levy should be allocated to support developing nations in transitioning to cleaner technologies, green fuel production, and enhanced port infrastructure.
• There is an urgent need for a new continental maritime governance framework because existing strategies, such as the 2050 Africa’s Integrated Maritime Strategy and the African Maritime Transport Charter, are now considered dated. Current national strategies and Adaptation Plans often lack specific details on port and shipping adaptation.
• Several African ports are implementing green initiatives. Lekki Port in Nigeria, opened in 2023, uses a public-private partnership model and has the structural capacity for solar energy. Other ports moving toward greener operations through energy efficiency and waste management include Tema Port in Ghana, the Port of Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire, and Lamu Port in Kenya, while Mauritius is focusing on renewable energy integration.

APA

Beaumont, J., Hampton, S., & Willima, D. (2025). Planning for climate change in Africa’s maritime transport sector. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1755685945751-PB-200-Maritime .pdf

Chicago

Beaumont, Judy, Shannon Hampton, and David Willima. Planning for climate change in Africa’s maritime transport sector. Institute for Security Studies, 2025. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1755685945751-PB-200-Maritime .pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{beaumont2025planning, author = {Beaumont, Judy and Hampton, Shannon and Willima, David}, title = {{Planning for climate change in Africa’s maritime transport sector}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2025}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1755685945751-PB-200-Maritime .pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }