Logistics services in Cape Verde.

Cape Verde logistics overview: modes, trade and gateways

Logistics services in Cape Verde rely on seaports and airports, as this island country is not landlocked. Most ocean freight moves through Porto da Praia and Porto Grande, supported by about 89,000 TEU of container throughput in 2024. Scheduled air services operate from six airports, including major international airports such as Nelson Mandela International Airport and Amílcar Cabral International Airport.

Exports are about 96 million USD and imports about 2 billion USD in 2025, with fish, refined petroleum, railway cargo containers, shellfish and garments featuring strongly in outbound cargo. Inbound flows include refined petroleum, aircraft, cars, fish and railway cargo containers. Membership in ECOWAS and the AU shapes regional trade, and a merchant marine of 44 ships handles general cargo, oil and other vessel types.

Freight forwarders in Cape Verde need to work closely with the two key seaports, Porto da Praia and Porto Grande, as well as the main international airports at Praia, Sal, Boa Vista and Sao Vicente. Container throughput is about 89,000 TEU, and the liner shipping connectivity index score of 4.23 highlights the importance of choosing agents with strong carrier relationships.

Logistics Performance Index scores sit around the world median, with customs, infrastructure and logistics quality all at 2.6 to 2.7, so checking a forwarder’s track record on clearance times and documentation accuracy is relevant. For sea freight, APL, CMA CGM, Maersk and COSCO have offices in Mindelo, Praia or Sao Vicente, which matters for routing decisions. Trade is concentrated with Spain, Portugal, Togo, Italy and India on the export side, and Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, Spain and China for imports, so experience on these corridors and within ECOWAS and AU markets is useful.

Containerized sea freight in Cape Verde moves through two main ports: Porto da Praia and Porto Grande. Total throughput is about 89,000 TEU in 2024, placing the country 128th of 168 worldwide and 24th of 33 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Porto da Praia is a small port with cargo pier depth around 7.9 m, while Porto Grande is very small with about 11.0 m depth. Shipping lines with offices in Cape Verde include APL, CMA CGM, Maersk and COSCO, mainly in Mindelo, Praia or Sao Vicente. Liner Shipping Connectivity was about 4.2 in 2021, so FCL and LCL shipping from and to Cape Verde typically relies on regional transshipment hubs.

Rail and road freight in Cape Verde play only a local distribution role because the country has no land borders and relies on its ports and airports for international access. Goods arriving by sea through Porto da Praia and Porto Grande, or by air through the main international airports, are then moved inland by road.

There is no direct gateway routing through neighboring countries, so domestic trucking mainly connects ports, airports and urban centers across the islands. This arrangement links import flows of refined petroleum, vehicles and machinery with final users, and moves export products like fish, garments and containers back to maritime or air terminals.

Customs clearance in Cape Verde operates under a framework shaped by membership in the World Trade Organization and the World Customs Organization, with WCO membership recorded since 1992. The country also belongs to ECOWAS and the African Union, which influences regional trade arrangements. The average applied tariff is about 12.56 percent in 2022.

On the Logistics Performance Index, the customs score is 2.6 compared with a world median of 2.6, and overall logistics performance is 2.7 against a median of 2.7. For imports and exports, shippers should ensure that at minimum a commercial invoice, packing list and transport document match each other and reflect the actual cargo, as this supports smoother processing. The main trade flows involve partners such as Spain, Portugal, Togo, Italy and India for exports, and Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, Spain and China for imports.