African ports from Namibia to Mauritius are becoming more popular as refueling stops for vessels shunning security threats in the Red Sea.¹⁾

The Namibian port of Walvis Bay or Port Louis in Mauritius are “top options” for filling up if there’s a need en route, shipping giant A.P. Moller - Maersk A/S said in a reply to questions. The company still prefers to bunker at the start or end of a route.²⁾

Walvis Bay — located along coastal sand dunes in Namibia — is a convenient stop because it requires minimal deviation by shipping lines, according to Simone Piredda, a senior trader at Monjasa.³⁾

“This shift has directly benefited strategically located ports like Toamasina in Madagascar, Port Louis in Mauritius, and Walvis Bay in Namibia, which lie along the east-west route connecting Asia with Europe” as ships avoid South Africa, Khachatryan said.⁴⁾