Table 2： Annual port calls by economic region for 2019–2021 (Source： UNCTAD, 2022; Konstantinus & Woxenius, 2022)

Coastal shipping in Africa is heavily driven by containerised services, accounting for 25 percent of port calls, system, crucial for regions with underdeveloped port infrastructure. Vessels equipped with onboard cranes are particularly effective in Sub-Saharan Africa, where ports often lack advanced handling equipment. In East Africa, countries like Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique rely heavily on coastal shipping to support key industries such as fertiliser, sugar and salt production, which require bulk transport.