French conglomerate Bollore BOLL.PA, owned by billionaire Vincent Bollore’s family, is considering selling its African logistics divisions. Investment bank Morgan Stanley has been hired to gauge the interest of potential buyers. French shipping company CMA CGM and Danish group Maersk are looking at the assets. Bollore’s African logistics activities could be valued between 2 billion euros ($2.3 billion) and 3 billion euros. The Group has opted for a presence in Africa for many years and is making it a major part of these investments. Its subsidiary, Bolloré Africa Logistics, is the biggest transport and logistics operator in Africa, where it has a network without equal with 250 subsidiaries and almost 21,000 employees in 49 countries, including 47 in Africa. This network allows us to offer exceptional logistics solutions dedicated to all its customers.
As the driving force behind the logistics and industrial transformation of Africa, Bolloré Africa Logistics is present in 42 ports and operates in 16 container terminal concessions (Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Togo, Guinea-Conakry, etc.), 7 ro-ro (roll-on/roll-off) terminals, 2 wood terminals and a river terminal, plus a conventional stevedoring activity. ith regard to shipping activities, the Group has a network of 85 maritime agencies: 74 African agencies in 32 countries, 11 branches on the Iberian Peninsula, and 2 branches in Asia-Pacific. 7,100 port visits were processed this year on behalf of the world’s largest shipping lines and on behalf of its many customers who include shipowners, operators, traders, and manufacturers. In 47 countries on the African continent, Bolloré Africa Logistics manages all administrative and customs procedures for its customers both before and after transportation, for import and export, and manages the carriage of goods to their destination. It relies on Bolloré Logistics’ network, which operates in 60 countries outside Africa, and offers a complete range for international freight. On the continent, its unique knowhow in the management of logistics corridors and systems adapted to the countries in question make it possible to conduct import and export operations even in the most isolated areas. The Group operates three rail concessions in Africa: Sitarail, Camrail and Benirail. Essential for the development of the countries it crosses, the railway is a competitive transport tool that enables exports of agricultural production (cotton, sesame, cashew nuts and wood) and feeds national economies (oil, fertilizer, building materials and consumer goods). It enables smoother flows of goods and people between the border countries and contributes to giving landlocked hinterland countries access to the sea. The global pandemic has demonstrated the fundamental role of railways as a logistics solution to ensure supply continuity, particularly for essential goods.