African ports affected by low connectivity to maritime transportation networks

The port connectivity is an index that measures how well a port connects to others in the maritime transportation network and its ability to be reached by regular liner services. This index can help both port operators and ocean liners to better plan their positioning and market strategies.

For instance, shipping lines providing transshipment services can use port connectivity data for benchmarking purposes, in order to guide their choices in the selection of the transshipment hub ports where to operate or for redesign their shipping network services.

According to an analysis made by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), China Power project, based on UNCTAD's data, ports in Sub-Saharan Africa are among the less connected in the world.

An interactive tool available in the page hosting the article allows the comparison between the world's top 100 ports, based on their connectivity to established global maritime shipping networks.

In Africa, only 6 ports appear in the list of the the 100 seaports more connected in the world. North African ports are the most connected (with the exception of Damietta, Egypt, that lies in the bottom), while in sub-saharan Africa  the port of Durban, in South Africa is the most connected, followed by 2 West African ports. No East African port appears in the list.

The most connected ports in Africa are the following ones:

1. Tanger-Med (Morocco), ranked 23^rd;
2. Port Said (Egypt): 31;
3. Durban (South Africa): 75;
4. Tema (Ghana): 76;
5. Lome (Togo): 85;
6. Damietta (Egypt): 95.