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CASE STUDY container carrier to believe in San Pedro to become a on the West African coast, creating new opportunities
IVORY COAST major maritime transhipment hub. In this respect, going for the region. For instance, transhipment activities
forward, MSC will support the development and and operations will further grow the possibility to
modernisation of the terminal of San Pedro, enabling develop industries in the neighbourhood of the terminal,
the deployment of ultra large vessels through massive as the San Pedro area will be connected to both the
investments in world-class infrastructure and equip- European and Asian trade routes through direct
ment, including the latest IT technologies. This project, services from the largest shipping lines. It will also
in line with the National Development Plan for result in lower transportation costs and therefore
2016-2020, and in partnership with local authorities permit the local population to have access to local
and the Port of San Pedro, aims to support Ivory products at affordable prices. MSC’s operations and
Coast’s development ambitions and ongoing efforts to activities will have a significant positive impact on
reduce poverty, contributing, inter alia, to the growth San Pedro and its population, generating several
MSC’S INCLUSIVE of the export commodities through better and more thousands of direct and indirect jobs. Committed to
always developing its human capital, MSC also plans
reliable services to the rest of the world. Tranship-
BUSINESS MODEL ment will become a new industry in San Pedro and its to provide its local workforce with vocational technical
progressive development will position the terminal as training and entrepreneurship skills development
one of the most modern deep sea terminal facilities courses.

MSC has been investing in Africa since 1970. Today,
MSC is present in over 40 countries across the African
Continent, employing over 8,000 people (including
MEDLOG and TiL) and operates 50 weekly services
connecting Africa to the rest of the world.
MSC opened its own agency in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, in
May 2002 and since then has continuously extended its
activities and trade services in the region. In 2008, MSC
opened its second agency in San Pedro. Thanks to a
long and successful experience in agricultural products’
transportation across the world, MSC has become
in only few years a key player in this highly strategic
industry of the Ivorian economy. MSC, through its
subsidiary company MEDLOG, has also developed
hinterland traffic, offering off-docks and modern ware-
houses dedicated to cocoa, cotton, cashew and import
commodities for local consignees and those based in
neighbouring countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso.
Yet, since its initial agency presence in 2008, MSC
has positioned itself as the first international

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