When the world locked down in 2020, Africa’s ports didn’t just feel the shockwaves they almost went silent. Ships stopped calling, containers piled up, and seafarers were stranded at sea for months. The pandemic ripped through the continent’s maritime arteries, exposing how fragile Africa’s link to the global economy really is.

According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), container ship calls dropped sharply in the second quarter of 2020, with more than 25 percent of ports worldwide recording drastic declines. Africa mirrored the trend: while North African hubs such as Tanger-Med adapted quickly, West and East African ports were heavily disrupted by blank sailings, port congestion, and operational bottlenecks.

South Africa, home to the continent’s busiest ports, became a case study in maritime vulnerability. A nationwide lockdown cut terminal manning to 60 percent, and Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) was forced to declare force majeure in March 2020. Durban and Cape Town suffered severe congestion, choking trade corridors across the SADC region. Although operations gradually recovered, the cracks in Africa’s maritime infrastructure had been laid bare.

The ocean itself became a crisis zone. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) estimated that hundreds of thousands of seafarers were stranded on vessels beyond their contract dates, unable to rotate crews due to strict border closures.

Fadola notes that this created both safety and mental health hazards, prompting the IMO to press governments to recognize seafarers as “key workers.” In Nigeria, the maritime regulator NIMASA quickly exempted seafarers and dockworkers from harsh restrictions, ensuring some continuity at Apapa and Tincan Island ports.

Economically, the shock was brutal. Freight rates on African trade routes surged to record highs, with West Africa posting the steepest spike globally — a staggering 243 percent increase between August 2020 and August 2021, according to UNCTAD. Importers and consumers bore the cost, fueling inflation in already fragile economies. Congestion, equipment shortages, and bureaucratic delays piled pressure onto supply chains across the continent.

The crisis also revealed a stark divide between efficient and inefficient ports. Morocco’s Tanger-Med emerged as a model of resilience, maintaining high performance through digital systems and coordination. Others lagged, crippled by paper-based processes and poor connectivity. The World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index 2020 confirmed that digitally connected ports weathered the storm far better than those still locked in outdated methods.

Yet, Africa’s maritime trade proved tougher than expected. By late 2020, port calls had begun to rebound, though at a steep price — sky-high freight charges, stranded crews, and persistent administrative inefficiencies that dragged on into 2021.

Looking forward, Fadola recommends bold reforms: establish “green lanes” for essential cargo and maritime workers, complete end-to-end port digitalization, harmonize customs and health standards under AfCFTA, and ensure transparency in freight charges. Most crucially, he argues, seafarers must be legally recognized as key workers to safeguard global trade continuity in future crises.

“The pandemic taught us that Africa’s maritime sector is both fragile and resilient,” Fadola concludes. “Ports that embraced digitalization and coordination bounced back quickly, while others remain vulnerable. The future of Africa’s competitiveness depends on turning these lessons into permanent reforms protecting trade flows and the welfare of the seafarers who keep them alive.”