Smart Globe signs logistics deal with COSCO Shipping Africa in Zambia

Smart Globe Holdings has entered into a logistics services agreement with COSCO Shipping Africa, formalising a strategic partnership at the company’s developing logistics centre in Zambia. The move signals the Hong Kong-based printing and logistics company’s deeper push into Sub-Saharan Africa’s supply chain infrastructure.

The agreement, signed on 21 July 2025, names Tera Fleet Management DMCC—an indirect non-wholly owned subsidiary of Smart Globe—as the official service provider. Starting from 1 August 2025, Tera Fleet will provide warehousing, storage, stockpile management, inventory control, and container-related operations at the Zambia facility. COSCO Shipping Africa, a wholly owned subsidiary of state-owned China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited, will be the primary client under the contract.

The Zambia logistics centre is located near the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), positioning it as a regional logistics gateway. Smart Globe first announced its entry into the project through the acquisition of the land in January 2025 via Tera Logistics, another group subsidiary. Part of the warehouse infrastructure on the site has already been constructed, and the centre is being developed to include warehousing, truck parking, and vehicle maintenance zones.

The services agreement follows a previously signed memorandum of understanding between Tera Logistics, Heng Qu, and COSCO Shipping Africa. It marks a step toward formalising Smart Globe’s pivot into the logistics and supply chain management sector, an expansion supported by previous investments in trucking capacity and operations across the region.

Under the terms of the agreement, COSCO Shipping Africa will pay service fees at mutually agreed rates. The initial term of the contract is 12 months, though it includes provisions for early termination upon mutual agreement or predefined triggers, such as a change in subcontractor control or winding-up proceedings.

The logistics centre is expected to serve as a consolidation point for goods moving in and out of Zambia, the DRC, Zimbabwe, and other neighbouring markets. The strategic location is aimed at facilitating faster customs clearance and reducing transport time and cost—an advantage the company hopes will appeal to more international logistics players.

Smart Globe’s board described the deal as a milestone in building new income streams and establishing a local footprint in Africa’s logistics market. The company also indicated that the partnership with COSCO Shipping Africa may encourage further collaborations with other regional and global supply chain operators.

The company’s earlier announcements from November 2024 and January 2025 detailed the acquisition of land and associated investments into the supply chain business, including convertible bond and share subscription arrangements to fund its logistics expansion.

With the services agreement now in place and infrastructure partially operational, Smart Globe is positioning itself as a competitive player in cross-border logistics in southern Africa, with a view to long-term regional integration and growth.