Maritime Week Africa 2025: Mauritius the Region’s Premier Fuel Hub?

The much-anticipated Maritime Week Africa 2025 commenced on 26 March at the Hilton Mauritius Resort and Spa in Flic-en-Flac, attracting significant figures from the maritime fuel industry. Key attendees included marine fuel buyers—responsible for ship fuel supply, sales, distribution, and logistics—alongside suppliers, port authorities, and regulators.

This event provided an essential platform for engaging in discussions regarding critical issues and upcoming opportunities in Africa’s marine fuel sector, both on a regional and global scale.

The conference opened with notable speakers, including Arvin Boolell, the Minister of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy, and Fisheries; Nancy Karigithu, Special Envoy and Maritime and Blue Economy Advisor to the President of Kenya; Llewellyn Bankes-Hughes, CEO of ship.energy; and Aruna Bunwaree Ramsaha, Acting Director-General of the Mauritius Ports Authority (MPA).

Minister Boolell, in his opening remarks, highlighted that Maritime Week Africa 2025 represents a significant turning point for Africa’s bunkering industry.

He stressed the imperative for Mauritius, as a developing island nation, to fully leverage the potential of the blue economy, which he called the “new frontier” for economic growth on the continent.

The Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to positioning Mauritius as the leading bunkering hub in the region and outlined forthcoming legislative reforms aimed at invigorating the country’s ocean economy by exploring fresh opportunities in fishing, trade, and maritime services.

In response to current geopolitical challenges, Boolell urged African nations to work together and implement innovative strategies to foster a fair maritime sector.

He also called on industry stakeholders to invest in progressive sectors that would establish Mauritius as a benchmark in the ocean economy.

Ambassador Nancy Karigithu underscored the economic potential within Africa’s maritime zones.

She asserted that the blue economy could stimulate job creation, generate wealth, and promote socio-economic progress across the continent.

Karigithu stated that Maritime Week Africa 2025 provides a unique opportunity to confront contemporary challenges while capitalising on the prospects offered by this growing sector.

Aruna Bunwaree Ramsaha commented on the impressive growth of the bunkering industry in Mauritius, revealing that the volume of bunkering trade has increased from 284,000 metric tonnes in 2015 to an astounding 929,000 metric tonnes in 2024.

To ensure Port Louis remains among the most reliable and safest bunkering ports in the region, she advocated for greater collaboration among international partners, as well as stronger ties between the public and private sectors.

She highlighted the significance of resilience in an ever-evolving global market, proposing strategic investments in storage capacity, digitalisation, and international collaborations to bolster Mauritius’s status as a modern and innovative bunkering hub.

Organised by ship.energy, Maritime Week Africa stands as the continent’s oldest and most prominent event in the bunkering sector.

This year, for the first time, Mauritius is playing host to the conference—a testament to the island’s rising importance in the maritime arena.

The event offers insightful discussions on recent developments, investment prospects, and the challenges faced by the bunkering industry, all while reinforcing Mauritius’s strategic role in the Indian Ocean and its contribution to Africa’s blue economy.

By uniting policymakers and industry leaders, this conference aspires to carve out a sustainable and prosperous maritime future for the African continent.

Source: l’Express