French shipping giant CMA CGM is set to invest $820 million to expand and modernise two terminals at the Port of Mombasa under a new cooperation agreement with the Kenyan government signed during the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi earlier this week. The deal, signed on the sidelines of the summit co-hosted by France and attended by French President Emmanuel Macron, marks one of the biggest recent foreign investments in Kenya’s maritime infrastructure.
CMA CGM, which has operated in Kenya since 2005, said the investment would significantly boost cargo-handling capacity, strengthen regional trade corridors and deepen Kenya’s links to global shipping routes as maritime demand continues to rise. The expansion is expected to ease pressure on the busy Mombasa port, improve supply-chain efficiency and reinforce the city’s position as a leading trade gateway for east and central Africa.
The project will also enhance inland logistics connections linking Kenya to neighbouring markets across the region. Home to east Africa’s largest port, Mombasa serves several landlocked countries, including Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, making it a critical artery for regional commerce.
Last year, the Port of Mombasa handled 2.11m TEU, representing growth of 5.5% year on year, with the facility reportedly operating close to full capacity. The investment aligns with Kenya’s broader push to modernise strategic infrastructure through public-private partnerships.
In April 2025, the National Treasury said it was pursuing a PPP model to upgrade the ports of Mombasa and Lamu, with plans to raise financing through infrastructure bonds targeted at long-term investors such as pension funds and insurance companies. CMA CGM said the Mombasa investment follows the recent launch of its African regional headquarters in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, as the group accelerates its footprint across the continent.
In recent years, the company has played a growing role in major African port developments, including the Kribi Container Terminal in Cameroon, the Lekki Deep Sea Port in Nigeria and a new deepwater terminal in Pointe-Noire, Congo.