The advent of a continental maritime institution to advance Africa’s development and trade interests

By Stephanie Janneh

Noting the importance and reliance of Africa on maritime trade, and given the reality of many challenges in the sector including shipping’s green transition, it may be timely and perhaps even imperative to coordinate at the continental level. The myriads of treaties and smart policies including the Revised African Transport Charter (2010), African Charter on Maritime Security and Safety or the Lomé Charter, and the African Integrated Maritime Strategy 2050 (2050 AIM Strategy) are well established policy tools but without the adequate institution to coordinate, the implementation of these policies becomes elusive. The 2010 Revised African Maritime Transport Charter (the Charter) instructs the African Union to establish a ‘Continental Unit for coordination of activities of regional cooperation in shipping, marine pollution and ports operation.’

While the establishment of a Secretariat for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFA) agreement is a welcomed initiative to accelerate intra-continental trade, the reality is maritime trade is essential to realise the AfCFTA. Grasping that 90% of trade is seaborne, the implementation of the AfCFTA must go in parallel with the establishment of a continental maritime technical institution. Free trade cannot be facilitated without maritime. In the preamble of the Charter, AU Heads of States recognise the ‘role of maritime transport in the facilitation and development of trade…intra African trade and trade between African States and other continents.’ It is time to revisit the dialogue on the establishment of a continental maritime institution which is technical with a functioning Secretariat.

In a Maritimafrica article, the former Minister of Maritime Economy of the Republic of Togo, Mr. Kokou Edem Tengue contextualises the need for a continental maritime institution,

“I believe we must work towards the advent of an African Maritime Organization (AMO)… [t]he African maritime industry must prepare itself. It will not be able to avoid decarbonization. What is only a recommendation today will very quickly become a binding standard. The reflection must therefore begin.”

Mr. Kokou Edem Tengue is now Minister at the Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Togo.

Are African ports positioned for the energy transition?  

The International Maritime Organization, the United Nations agency responsible for regulating shipping in terms of safety, security, and pollution, agreed on the 2023 GHG Strategy to address shipping’s contribution to climate change. The 2023 IMO GHG Strategy on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships seeks to reduce GHG emissions from international shipping with a view to obtain at least 20 per cent emission reduction by 2030 (striving for 30 per cent by 2030), at least  70 per cent emission reduction by 2040(striving for 80 per cent by 2040)— to reach net zero by/around 2050 taking into account different national circumstances.

In early April 2025, the Member States of the IMO, following previous rounds of negotiations, decided on the details of a basket of economic and technical measures, policy tools aimed at reducing GHG emissions including a flat levy fee to be applied to ships continuing to use conventional (fossil) bunker fuel by 2028. An extraordinary session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee will be held in October 2025 to adopt the final basket of mid-term measures of the 2023 IMO GHG Strategy.

The energy transition in the maritime sector requires not only financing for compliant fuels and energy efficient technologies but also transformation in operational activities or change in business processes from business as usual. Such a technical body can play a critical role in assessing existing financial structures as well as innovative financial structures to finance port development to meet new regulations. The continental maritime institution is relevant platform for African states to deliberate on existing challenges such as modernisation of infrastructure and emerging challenges such as digitalisation and decarbonisation. It is critical for global regulations and policies on decarbonisation in the shipping sector to be tabled for discussion at the continental level to protect Africa’s development and trade interests.

It is all about cooperation and coordination

There are other challenges facing African states in the maritime domain including cooperation in inland waterways, cabotage, maritime training, strengthening shipper’s councils, ship building and repair – all of which are outlined in the Charter. Such an institution would provide a relevant platform for landlinked states in the region. For example, given the sensitivities in the Sahel region, maritime trade is crucial to ensure food security thereby contributing to stability in the region. Such an institution could also contribute to the following:

• Coordinate interests of African states at international forums to ensure African interests in the maritime sector are prioritised at the multilateral level
• Coordinate and provide data, technical and advisory information relating to maritime policies to AU member states
• Support capacity building initiatives and technical cooperation related to maritime policies
• Serve as repository or cadre of maritime technocrats and thus contribute to the human capacity of AU institutions

It may be timely for a high-level dialogue amongst African Heads of States to revisit the establishment of a continental maritime institution. The AU and its institutions including the AfCFTA are the relevant interlocutors. The assumption of office by the new Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf presents an opportune time for such a discussion. As the AfCFTA has a Secretariat and thereby a fully functioning office based in Accra, Ghana, it may be practical for AfCFTA to play a role in convening a session on the progress of the Charter’s aims including the establishment of the continental maritime institution.