Logistics services in Madagascar.

Madagascar logistics overview: modes, trade and gateways

Madagascar is an island with about 4,828 km of coastline and 13 ports, so most international cargo moves by sea through locations such as Toamasina, Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toliara, and Tolanaro. Air freight connects through 13 airports with scheduled services, supported by a wider network of 93 airports. Inland, about 836 km of rail and the road network carry containers and bulk cargo between ports, airports, and inland cities.

When selecting freight forwarders in Madagascar, shippers should look for experience routing via the main ports like Toamasina, Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Manakara, and Toliara, and through key airports such as Antananarivo and Nosy Be. The country ranks 145th of 169 on the World Bank LPI with customs and infrastructure scores of 1.8, so the ability to manage clearance delays and local handling is important. Forwarders with strong links to global shipping lines like CMA CGM, MSC, Evergreen, Maersk, and PIL can help coordinate services to major trade partners in the USA, France, Japan, China, South Korea, Oman, India, and South Africa. Familiarity with COMESA and SADC procedures and Madagascar’s WTO membership also supports smoother cross-border movements.

Containerised sea freight moves through 13 seaports, with Toamasina, Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toliara, and Manakara among the main options. The port of Toamasina has rail access, while others such as Antsiranana and Mahajanga connect mainly by road. Madagascar handled about 200,000 TEU in 2019, and its liner shipping connectivity index stood at 7.49 in 2021. Several global lines have offices in cities including Antananarivo, Diego Suarez, Majunga, Toamasina, Fort Dauphin and Tamatave, supporting both FCL and LCL shipping from and to Madagascar.

Scheduled air services connect through 13 airports, including Ivato International Airport in Antananarivo, Nosy Be International Airport, Amborovy Airport in Mahajanga, Toamasina Ambalamanasy Airport, and Arrachart Airport in Antsiranana. Air carriers moved about 2.5 million tonne-km of freight in 2023. Air freight in Madagascar suits higher-value exports such as garments, vanilla, cloves, gold and time-sensitive imports like refined petroleum, fabric, cotton fabric, rice, and wheat.

Rail and road freight in Madagascar are used to connect production areas and inland cities with seaports and airports. The rail network is about 836 km long and feeds certain ports, notably Toamasina, which has rail access to its cargo facilities.

Rail freight volume was about 122 million tonne-km in 2014, showing a role for rail in moving bulk and container cargo toward the coast. Rail and road freight in Madagascar often work together to move export goods such as garments, nickel, vanilla, cloves and gold and to distribute imported refined petroleum, rice, fabric, cotton fabric and wheat from ports into the interior.

Customs clearance in Madagascar takes place in a system that is integrated into global and regional frameworks. Madagascar has been a member of the World Customs Organization since 1964 and belongs to the World Trade Organization.

The country participates in COMESA, SADC and the African Union, and applies an average tariff of about 8.74 percent. The logistics performance index customs score is 1.8 compared with a world median of 2.6, and overall LPI is 2.3 versus 2.7. Customs clearance in Madagascar records export and import lead times of about 1 day for border and documentary compliance. Shippers should ensure their commercial invoice, packing list and transport document are accurate and aligned with declarations to minimize delays.