A New Force Enters West Africa’s Breakbulk Market: Ningbo Ocean Shipping Makes Strategic Move!

On July 29, “Xin Ming Zhou 27” successfully berthed at Nigeria’s Lagos Apapa Port, carrying over 50,000 tons of steel, machinery, equipment, and vehicles. This marks the official normalization of Ningbo Ocean Shipping’s West Africa service, signaling a key milestone in the company’s global expansion and breakbulk debut.

This is Ningbo Ocean’s second international breakbulk service, following its first foreign trade bulk route to Southeast Asia in August 2024. The current West Africa route starts from Rizhao, China, crosses the Indian Ocean, rounds the Cape of Good Hope, and arrives in Lagos after a 50-day voyage.

Leveraging lessons from the inaugural voyage, the team conducted full technical checks and collaborated with weather routing experts to ensure operational success.

Lagos Port is the busiest port in West Africa and a crucial hub in China-Africa trade.

Apapa Port Terminal handles nearly 70% of Nigeria’s import/export cargo volume and serves as a strategic point for project cargo and industrial logistics.

As the largest container liner company in Zhejiang Province, Ningbo Ocean operates a fleet of over 100 vessels ranging from 3,000 to 58,000 DWT, with both container and bulk tonnage. In 2024, it moved over 5.13 million TEU and 25.88 million tons of bulk cargo. Q1 2025 saw revenue of RMB 1.37 billion, up 17.6% YoY.

Ningbo Ocean’s entry into West Africa strengthens China-Africa connectivity and showcases the role of state-owned shipping enterprises in opening up emerging markets.


Source： Xinde Marine News Chen Yang