Les Lignes maritimes congolaises (LMC SA) and Société congolaise de transport maritime (SOCOTRAM) signed an agreement on May 26, 2026, in Kinshasa to launch a joint feeder and coastal shipping service between the ports of Pointe-Noire and Matadi.

According to LMC SA, the partnership marks the start of a joint service aimed at strengthening maritime and trade integration between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo. The service is expected to facilitate the transhipment of containers between Pointe-Noire, Congo-Brazzaville’s main seaport, and Matadi, the DRC’s main Atlantic gateway.

LMC’s five-year recovery plan

For LMC SA, the agreement comes as the state-owned shipping company seeks to implement its 2023-2027 recovery plan. The plan targets an increase in market share from 0.3% in 2021 to 2% by 2027, with transported volumes projected to rise from 45,000 metric tons to 395,195 metric tons.

In recent months, the company has taken steps to reposition itself through ship acquisition projects and by signalling interest in handling Congolese freight transiting through Dar es Salaam. The partnership with SOCOTRAM could allow LMC to resume maritime operations before completing its fleet renewal programme.

According to LMC, the joint service forms part of wider efforts to modernize the Congolese maritime sector and strengthen bilateral cooperation between Kinshasa and Brazzaville. Operational details, including rotation frequency, vessels to be deployed, targeted volumes and the launch date, have not yet been disclosed.

Matadi’s connectivity challenge

For Matadi, the project is strategically important. The Congolese port is seeking to improve its connectivity with major regional hubs, as Pointe-Noire has emerged as one of Central Africa’s leading logistics platforms.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, LMC SA acting director general Gisèle Mbwansiem Mbiung Mupa described the partnership as combining LMC’s maritime and port expertise with SOCOTRAM’s operational capacity.

“Through this signing, our two companies demonstrate that with trust, vision and shared commitment, our countries can jointly develop long-term solutions for regional development,” she said.

SOCOTRAM director general Louis-Gabriel Missatou welcomed what he described as “the beginning of a strong, ambitious and lasting partnership” between the two countries.

Ronsard Luabeya