Hapag-Lloyd will open its own offices in Walvis Bay and Kigali on October 1, 2026, extending its organization into Namibia and the two landlocked markets of Rwanda and Burundi.

The Walvis Bay office gives the Hamburg-based carrier its first direct local presence in Namibia. The Kigali setup serves Rwanda and Burundi from a single East African base, plugging both landlocked economies into Hapag-Lloyd's regional and global liner network.

For shippers in Kigali and Bujumbura, the immediate commercial benefit is proximity: customer support and market expertise move closer, while ocean connectivity already runs through Dar es Salaam. Hapag-Lloyd operates two weekly services calling the Tanzanian gateway, with direct connections to India and the Far East. The new Kigali office complements those sailings rather than replacing them.

Why is Hapag-Lloyd expanding on the continent now?

The carrier frames Africa as an increasingly important part of global trade, pointing to growing economies, expanding trade flows and stronger connections with markets worldwide. Evolving supply chains and rising demand for reliable international connectivity are creating opportunities the line wants to capture by being physically closer to customers.

Jesper Kanstrup, Managing Director Sub-Region Africa at Hapag-Lloyd, said: "Africa is a highly diverse continent, and serving our customers successfully requires a strong understanding of the individual markets in which they operate."

He added: "By strengthening our presence, we combine local industry knowledge and customer proximity with the reach of Hapag-Lloyd's global network. Each market offers different opportunities, and this expansion reflects our long-term commitment to our customers and to Africa."

What does this mean for shippers and forwarders?

The move has practical consequences across three markets:

• Namibia: Importers and exporters dealing with Walvis Bay gain direct access to the carrier's own staff rather than working through agent arrangements.
• Rwanda and Burundi: Two landlocked markets gain a local Hapag-Lloyd point of contact, backed by the two weekly Dar es Salaam services linking to India and the Far East.
• Regional competitors: The expansion signals that global carriers see enough volume growth in Southern and East Africa to justify owned organizations in secondary markets, a step beyond port coverage alone.

Kanstrup called the Namibia, Rwanda and Burundi buildout "an important milestone in the continued development of Hapag-Lloyd in Africa."

How does the move fit the carrier's wider strategy?

The expansion sits under Hapag-Lloyd's Strategy 2030, which positions Africa as a growth pillar alongside the line's established trades. The company says it will keep investing in local teams and market expertise while working with customers, authorities and partners to build an organization that can respond to distinct African market needs and connect them to the global liner network.

The three-country rollout follows the same logic the carrier has applied elsewhere on the continent: pair local industry knowledge with the scale of a global fleet. For forwarders serving Central Corridor cargo via Dar es Salaam into Rwanda and Burundi, a carrier office in Kigali means a shorter line to decision-makers on space, equipment and documentation.

Hapag-Lloyd gives no indication the expansion stops here. Under Strategy 2030, further investment in African markets and local presence remains on the carrier's stated trajectory.