Logistics services in Seychelles.

Seychelles logistics overview: modes, trade and gateways

Logistics services in Seychelles center on sea and air. Containerized cargo moves through the port of Victoria, which handles about 154,400 TEU a year and is served by lines such as CMA CGM and Maersk. One small seaport, one oil terminal and a coastline of about 491 km support maritime traffic. Air freight uses Seychelles International Airport and Praslin Island Airport, with scheduled services moving about 1.2 million tonne-km of cargo.

Road transport links the seaport, airports and industrial areas on the main islands for first and last mile moves. Exporters ship mainly fish, scrap iron, animal meal, broadcasting equipment and ships. Import flows include refined petroleum, fish, ships, cars and plastic products, feeding a trade volume of about 550 million USD in exports and about 1.5 billion USD in imports.

Freight forwarders in Seychelles should be familiar with Victoria port operations and the two main airports with scheduled service. Container connectivity is relatively low, with a liner shipping connectivity index of about 8.5, so choosing forwarders that understand sailing schedules and transshipment options is important. Lines including CMA CGM and Maersk have offices locally, which can simplify coordination on ocean bookings.

Seychelles trades heavily with partners such as France, Mauritius, the UK, Japan, Italy, the UAE, Spain, South Africa and India, so experience on these corridors is valuable. As a WTO member with participation in COMESA, SADC and the AU, procedures follow regional and multilateral frameworks. When selecting freight forwarders in Seychelles, ask about performance on customs handling, as the world median customs score in the logistics performance index is about 2.6, and check their track record on time and tracking reliability.

FCL and LCL shipping from and to Seychelles moves mainly through the port of Victoria, a small seaport with a cargo pier depth of about 9.4 m. Containerized trade is modest, with throughput of about 154,400 TEU in 2019 and a liner shipping connectivity index of 8.54 in 2021.

Global carriers support Seychelles traffic, with CMA CGM present in Port Victoria and Maersk represented in Mahe. The country operates one key commercial port and one oil terminal, and export-import trade totals about 2.1 billion USD in 2025, supporting regular container services for both FCL and LCL cargo.

Air freight in Seychelles uses Seychelles International Airport (SEZ) and Praslin Island Airport (PRI), the two airports with scheduled services. Across the network of about 16 airports, air cargo moved about 1.2 million tonne-km in 2023, with global rankings between 117th and 184th and regional rankings between 18th and 47th.

Air makes sense for higher-value or time-sensitive parts of the trade mix, such as broadcasting equipment on the export side or certain manufactured and plastic products on import. Ocean still carries most bulk flows like fish and refined petroleum, while air freight in Seychelles supports smaller, urgent consignments and connects with main partners in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

Rail and road freight in Seychelles is limited to road, as there is no rail connection at the seaport of Victoria. The port has no rail link, so containers and other cargo move by truck between the port, airports and industrial or storage locations on the islands.

With no land borders and no road gateway ports to other states, all international movements rely on sea and air. Domestic trucking is used for drayage of containers, distribution of imported goods such as cars and plastic products, and collection of export cargo like fish for consolidation at Victoria port or Seychelles International Airport.

Customs clearance in Seychelles takes place within a framework that includes membership in the World Customs Organization since 2000 and participation in the World Trade Organization. The country belongs to COMESA, SADC and the African Union, which shape many trade procedures. The average applied tariff is about 1.27 percent, which is relatively low compared with many markets.

For documentation, shippers should expect to provide at least a commercial invoice, packing list and the appropriate transport document for sea or air shipments. Seychelles aligns broadly with global practices, while the median global logistics performance index customs score stands near 2.6. Traders work mainly with partners such as France, Mauritius, the UK, Japan, Italy, the UAE, Spain, South Africa and India, so customs brokers familiar with these lanes can help smooth clearance.