The maritime company GULFCAM SAS has announced the resumption of its maritime transport operations between the ports of Kribi and Douala, marking a new step in the multimodal transport sector in Cameroon. The announcement was made at a press conference on Friday, March 6, 2026, in Douala. This initiative aims to streamline container traffic, reduce pressure on national roads, and offer a faster and less expensive logistics alternative to road transport.
According to Jean Perrial Nyodog, Chairman of GULFCAM SAS, this initiative responds to the increasing difficulties associated with transporting containers by road between Kribi and Douala. More than 60% of the containers unloaded at the port of Kribi are transported to Douala by trucks, using national roads N°7 and N°3. These roads are not designed to support such a high volume of traffic, leading to accelerated road degradation, longer transit times, and increased accident risks. Transferring some of this traffic to the sea should relieve pressure on road infrastructure and improve the logistical efficiency of the Kribi-Douala corridor.
GULFCAM SAS was formed from the merger of Camship-CLGG, heir to CamshipLines, and Gulfin S&T Co, specializing in the distribution and maritime transport of petroleum products. With a capital of 4.67 billion FCFA, the new entity has taken over all the activities of the two companies. To relaunch the service, GULFCAM has chartered the Atlantic Runner II, a container ship with a capacity of 1,100 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). The 180-meter ship is equipped with four cranes and operated by a crew of approximately 25 sailors. A weekly rotation is planned, with a target of three trips per month in the initial phase.
The CAMSHIP service will operate according to a two-segment model: domestic coastal shipping for the transport of containers cleared in Kribi and goods from local industries to Douala and neighboring countries, and transshipment operations to make Kribi a regional logistics hub. This strategy should strengthen the position of the deep-water port of Kribi as a regional maritime platform. According to Elvis Tchikapa Mba, the company's Director of Transport and Maritime Operations, each trip will be able to carry up to 1,100 containers, the equivalent of the load of approximately 1,000 trucks.
GULFCAM plans to offer this maritime service at a lower cost than road transport, while reducing the delivery time between Kribi and Douala to just a few hours. The company also plans to train young Cameroonian sailors on board its ships. GULFCAM's coastal shipping service is expected to play a strategic role in decongesting roads and developing the Kribi-Douala logistics corridor. Success will depend on customs integration, including the transition to the CAMES system for cleared goods.
