Africa is “increasingly attracting attention as a region with significant potential for maritime transport and seaborne trade,” according to the 2013 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) Review of Maritime Transport. Although Africa’s impact on shipping is still comparatively small, it is poised to expand as the continent sets out to exploit its vast resources. While the European Union remains Africa’s biggest trading partner, China has now overtaken the United States as its largest single trading partner. Trade flows between the United States and Africa were valued at about $123 bn in 2011, while China–Africa flows stood at about $133 bn. According to the African Development Bank, port throughput in Africa will rise from 265 million tons in 2009 to more than two billion tons in 2040.
