Maersk opens 1,500-TEU container depot in Kribi to support Port of Kribi and regional flows

# What opened and where Maersk has launched a new container depot in Kribi, Cameroon. The facility occupies 16,000 square metres and has a storage capacity of 1,500 TEU. It is positioned to support cargo flows into and out of the deep-water Port of Kribi, which serves Cameroon and neighbouring landlocked markets.

# What the depot provides The Kribi depot offers container storage and specialised cargo handling. It includes customs inspection and clearance services so containers can be processed close to the port. The site is equipped for refrigerated (reefer) containers and food-grade containers, making it suitable for temperature-sensitive and agricultural cargo.

Customers can use Maersk's digital booking, tracking and monitoring tools for visibility on shipments. Maersk's managing director for Area West Africa, Franck Dedenis, said: "In disruptive times like ours, visibility translates directly into supply chain resilience. Right now, resilience of supply chains is on top of many customers' agenda." The depot also provides flexible storage options and simpler empty-container returns, which can lower detention and demurrage exposure.

# How the depot fits into Maersk's regional footprint This Kribi opening increases Maersk's company-owned depots in West Africa to eight. The carrier also works with more than 20 depots managed by third-party partners. Maersk reports an owned depot footprint in the region of approximately 166,000 square metres and a third-party depot network covering more than 280,000 square metres.

Depot services are available across Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone.

# Practical effects for shippers and ports

• Improved proximity to different container types: having reefer and food-grade containers near origin and destination facilities reduces repositioning time and can speed throughput for perishable goods.
• Customs inspection on site: streamlines clearance steps traditionally performed at port terminals or inland facilities.
• Digital visibility: tracking and monitoring can help planners respond faster to delays and reduce disruption costs.

# Why Maersk is expanding land infrastructure in the region

# Bottom line The new Kribi depot adds capacity for refrigerated and food-grade cargo near a deep-water port, extends Maersk's owned depot footprint in West Africa, and provides services intended to reduce handling times and detention costs. For shippers moving perishables or operating in Cameroon and neighbouring markets, the facility increases local options for storage, inspection and digital tracking.