The train comprises 54 wagons with a capacity of 108 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), offering importers an additional option for moving goods. Naveen Prabhu, CMA CGM’s deputy regional director for East Africa, KPA managing director William Ruto, Transport PS Mohamed Daghar, Wadid Benaabou, Ambassador of France to Kenya; and other officials during the launch of the shipping company’s dedicated rail freight service linking the Port of Mombasa to Nairobi Inland Container Depot /KPA French shipping giant CMA CGM is extending its services beyond the Port of Mombasa with a dedicated rail freight service linking Kilindini harbour to Nairobi’s Embakasi Inland Container Depot (ICD).
This, as it expands its logistics operations in Kenya and seek to strengthen cargo connections between the coast and inland markets, amid a growing apetite by global shipping lines on Kenya's maritime and inland logistics space including clearing services. The rail, inaugurated on October 28, will initially operate one dedicated train weekly, transporting containerised imports from Mombasa to Nairobi using the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) freight network.
The train comprises 54 wagons with a capacity of 108 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), offering importers an additional option for moving goods from the country’s main maritime gateway to the capital. The company said it would assess customer demand before increasing the frequency of the service and potentially introducing a return journey from Nairobi to Mombasa.
Naveen Prabhu, CMA CGM’s deputy regional director for East Africa, said the initiative marked a significant milestone in the company’s Kenyan operations and its ambition to integrate maritime transport with inland logistics. “Today’s launch is an important milestone for CMA CGM in Kenya.
Our ambition is to strengthen connectivity between the sea, the port and inland economies,” he said. The project, he said, reflects the company’s long-term commitment to Kenya and its intention to support economic growth by connecting businesses to international markets.
The new service places CMA CGM among global shipping operators seeking to extend their reach beyond ports by integrating sea freight with inland transport, potentially giving customers a more coordinated route for moving imported goods. It is the world’s third-largest shipping company, serving more than 420 ports across five continents through a fleet of over 700 vessels.
The group operates in 184 countries and carried more than 24 million TEUs in 2025.