The African maritime sector stands at a crossroads, with more than 90% of the continent’s trade conducted via maritime routes, shipping is the lifeblood of Africa’s economy. But here’s the rub: the sector is under immense pressure to go green, and fast. The International Maritime Organisation’s revised Greenhouse Gas Strategy, adopted in July 2023, aims for net-zero emissions “by or around 2050.” This isn’t just a global trend; it’s a mandate that’s reshaping the logistics landscape. African states that don’t adapt risk being left behind, facing exclusion from green shipping corridors, mounting trade costs, and diminished competitiveness.
But here’s the kicker: Africa’s maritime infrastructure and technological capabilities are critically underdeveloped. Most African ports are playing catch-up, lacking access to zero-emission technologies like hydrogen propulsion, battery-electric vessels, and shore-side power systems. Digitalisation is limited, and shipbuilding infrastructure is outdated or non-existent. According to UNCTAD, only 2% of global clean shipping investments flow into Africa, and the continent contributes less than 4% of maritime technology-related patents. It’s a stark reality that underscores the urgent need for reform.
The stakes are high. Without urgent reforms, Africa risks exclusion from green trade routes being developed by the European Union, ASEAN, and the Global Maritime Forum. Evidence abounds that institutional quality significantly determines economic growth trajectories, and Africa’s maritime domain is a prime example of this. Weak regulatory frameworks hinder sectoral modernisation and financial stability, and it’s high time this changes.
So, what’s the way forward? International partnerships and structured technology transfer aren’t just transitional mechanisms; they’re vital pillars of a forward-looking maritime development strategy. Clean shipping technologies are capital-intensive, data-driven, and depend on access to sophisticated research ecosystems, skilled human capital, and adaptive regulatory frameworks. For African nations, equitable international partnerships represent a fast-track solution to leapfrog fossil-based maritime systems and integrate directly into a cleaner, digital, and distributed future.
But here’s where it gets interesting. These partnerships must transcend the traditional donor-recipient paradigm. Public sector accountability mechanisms significantly influence citizen trust and institutional legitimacy, and this principle must guide how technology transfer agreements are negotiated and implemented. Effective stakeholder engagement enhances the success of public-private partnerships, highlighting the need for inclusive governance in the structuring of joint ventures and training consortia.
Strategic cooperation with advanced maritime nations such as Norway, Belgium, Japan, and South Korea offers Africa the opportunity to acquire, adapt, and localise cutting-edge technologies. These collaborations can enable local manufacturing, retrofit ageing fleets, and position African ports as strategic nodes in a decarbonised global supply chain. But African maritime leaders must adopt visionary, collaborative approaches to reposition the continent not as a passive beneficiary but as a co-creator in the green shipping transition.
The urgency of action cannot be overstated. Policy coherence is pivotal to achieving sustainable development goals, and this is especially true in the maritime sector, where infrastructure, regulation, trade, and climate policy intersect. Africa’s maritime sector must be designed not just to survive this transition but to lead it. Just as the continent leapfrogged fixed telephone lines by embracing mobile networks, it can bypass the fossil-heavy shipping phase and embrace clean maritime systems—if the necessary partnerships and reforms are enacted now.
International technology transfer in the maritime sector is frequently framed within geopolitical or commercial terms. Yet for African coastal states, the imperative is also profoundly economic and environmental. As the global shipping industry enters an era of accelerated decarbonization—driven by regulatory mandates and shifting market expectations—the adoption of clean technologies is no longer discretionary. It is a fundamental condition for economic survival and sustained competitiveness in maritime trade. When designed for equity and capacity-building, technology transfer becomes a lever through which African nations can foster resilient, low-carbon port economies and participate meaningfully in the emerging green logistics order.
The global maritime ecosystem is evolving toward emissions-based trade preferences. Key trade blocs such as the European Union, Japan, and South Korea are enacting carbon adjustment mechanisms and fuel emissions benchmarks, creating a new hierarchy in maritime competitiveness. Ports and shipping lines that meet these green standards are rewarded through preferential routing, green financing access, and reduced regulatory friction. Conversely, high-emission infrastructure is increasingly penalised. African ports and fleets risk being designated as “stranded assets” if they fail to modernise. Technology transfer offers a route for African countries to leapfrog legacy systems and align with these emerging standards. Access to alternative fuel propulsion—such as hydrogen, ammonia, or liquefied natural gas (LNG)—as well as shore-side electrification and digitalised terminal operations, allows African maritime actors to position themselves as sustainable trade partners.
According to the World Bank, countries investing in green port infrastructure
