Hapag-Lloyd expands Africa presence with three new offices

Hapag-Lloyd is strengthening its presence in Africa with new offices in Namibia, Rwanda and Burundi, expanding its local organisation across Southern and East Africa. The carrier establishes its own local presence in Namibia with a new office in Walvis Bay from October 1, 2026. In East Africa, Hapag-Lloyd will set up a new operation in Kigali to serve customers in both Rwanda and Burundi.

The new offices will bring Hapag-Lloyd closer to customers in the three markets and combine local market expertise with the carrier’s regional and global network. The company said the expansion reflects its continued investment in local capabilities and connectivity as African economies and trade flows develop.

In Namibia, the Walvis Bay office will establish Hapag-Lloyd’s own local presence in the market. In Rwanda and Burundi, the Kigali setup will extend its reach into two landlocked markets and complement its existing connectivity through East Africa.

Hapag-Lloyd currently offers two weekly services through Dar es Salaam, supporting imports and exports, with direct connections to India and the Far East. The Kigali operation will bring customer support and market expertise closer to customers in Rwanda and Burundi while complementing these existing services.

“Strengthening our presence in Namibia, Rwanda and Burundi is an important milestone in the continued development of Hapag-Lloyd in Africa,” said Jesper Kanstrup, Managing Director Sub-Region Africa at Hapag-Lloyd. “Africa is a highly diverse continent, and serving our customers successfully requires a strong understanding of the individual markets in which they operate. By strengthening our presence, we combine local industry knowledge and customer proximity with the reach of Hapag-Lloyd’s global network. Each market offers different opportunities, and this expansion reflects our long-term commitment to our customers and to Africa.”

Hapag-Lloyd said Africa remains an important part of its Strategy 2030 ambitions. The company plans to continue investing in local teams and market expertise while working with customers, authorities and partners to connect African markets with its global liner network.

Hapag-Lloyd operates a fleet of 300 container ships with a total transport capacity of 2.5mn TEU. Its Liner Shipping segment has 15,200 employees and 400 offices across 140 countries. The company operates 129 liner services connecting 600 ports across all continents.