Logistics services in Mauritania.

Mauritania logistics overview: modes, trade and gateways

Mauritania uses sea, air, rail, and road to move freight. Goods move through two seaports, Nouadhibou and Nouakchott, with container traffic of about 84,500 TEU in 2019 and a liner connectivity index of 6.05 in 2021. Three airports handle scheduled flights, including Nouakchott-Oumtounsy and Nouadhibou International. A rail network of about 728 km and about 7.5 billion tonne-km of rail freight support bulk cargo flows.

Road corridors connect Mauritania with Algeria, Mali, Morocco, and Senegal, over land borders totaling 4,,, km (Algeria 460 km; Mali 2,236 km; Morocco 1,564 km; Senegal 742 km). Export and import values in 2025 are about 4,510 million USD and 5,685 million USD respectively, and logistics services handle mainly exports of gold, iron ore, fish, processed crustaceans, and copper ore and imports of refined petroleum, raw sugar, palm oil, wheat, and soybean oil.

When selecting freight forwarders in Mauritania, shippers should align services with the country’s port structure and performance. Main seaports are Nouadhibou and Nouakchott, and LPI scores in 2022 show overall logistics at 2.3, with customs at 2.1 and infrastructure at 2.0, all below the world medians. A forwarder familiar with these conditions and local port handling can better manage timing and reliability.

Given export and import ties with partners such as China, Switzerland, Canada, UAE, Spain, Morocco, and France, experience with these routes is useful. Mauritania is a member of the AU and the WTO, so a forwarder that understands regional and multilateral rules can support compliant shipments. Several global shipping lines, including CMA CGM, COSCO, Maersk, Arkas, Hapag-Lloyd, and MSC, have offices in Mauritanian cities, and coordination with their local agencies can help on carrier selection and schedule planning.

FCL and LCL shipping from and to Mauritania centers on the ports of Nouadhibou and Nouakchott. Nouadhibou (locode MRNDB) is a medium-sized port with cargo pier depth of 17.1 m and rail access, suitable for larger vessels and bulk or container traffic. Nouakchott (locode MRNKC) is smaller, with cargo pier depth of 7.9 m and no rail connection, serving as the main gateway to the capital.

Container throughput reached about 84,500 TEU in 2019, and the liner shipping connectivity index stood at 6.05 in 2021. Shipping lines with offices in Mauritania include CMA CGM, COSCO, Maersk, Arkas, Hapag-Lloyd, and MSC, primarily in Nouadhibou and Nouakchott. These carriers support both FCL and LCL options, depending on trade flows in exports such as gold, iron ore, fish, processed crustaceans, and copper ore and imports such as refined petroleum and food products.

Air freight in Mauritania uses three airports with scheduled services: Nouadhibou International Airport (NDB), Nouakchott-Oumtounsy International Airport (NKC), and Tazadit Airport (OUZ). These airports support higher-value or time-sensitive cargo, complementing the country’s seaport and rail operations.

While bulk commodities like iron ore and copper ore usually move by sea and rail, air makes sense for urgent parts, smaller volumes of processed fish or crustaceans, and goods linked to trade with partners such as China, UAE, Spain, and France. The country has about 25 airports in total, providing additional domestic connectivity where required.

Rail and road freight in Mauritania are significant for both domestic transport and cross-border trade. The rail network extends about 728 km, and rail freight reached about 7.5 billion tonne-km in 2010, indicating heavy use, especially for bulk commodities like iron ore and other minerals. Nouadhibou port is rail-connected, allowing direct rail-to-ship movements.

Road freight links Mauritania with Algeria, Mali, Morocco, and Senegal, over borders totaling about 4,,, km (Algeria 460 km; Mali 2,236 km; Morocco 1,564 km; Senegal 742 km). These road corridors feed imports such as refined petroleum, raw sugar, palm oil, wheat, and soybean oil and distribute exports inland, complementing sea and rail routes. Road legs also connect inland production areas to the seaports at Nouadhibou and Nouakchott for international shipments.

Customs clearance in Mauritania operates within a framework that includes WTO membership and participation in the AU. The country has been a member of the World Customs Organization since 1979-10-02. The average applied tariff was about 8.68 percent in 2022, shaping landed costs for importers.

Mauritania’s LPI customs score in 2022 was 2.1, compared with a world median of 2.6, suggesting room for improvement in clearance efficiency. Overall LPI logistics performance was 2.3 versus a world median of 2.7. Export border compliance took about 13 days and import procedures about 32 days in 2016. Shippers should prepare at minimum a commercial invoice, packing list, and transport document and may benefit from using brokers who understand local procedures and timeframes.