Routes & Ports
Shipping to Madagascar
starts with a verified route.
Toamasina is Madagascar's principal international commercial port. Carrier routes, schedules, and transit times change, so confirm each shipment against the carrier's current schedule.
Sea freight
Toamasina
Main international port
Air freight
Antananarivo
Confirm onward routing
Check
Live schedules
With the carrier
MICTSL
Container terminal
Part of ICTSI
Shipping Lines
Services calling Toamasina
Service names and port calls change. Use the links below to verify current schedules before quoting a route.
CMA CGM
Phoenix / IOEX
Frequency
Check current schedule
Rotation
Service rotations vary. Confirm the current port call with the carrier.
Transit
Request current routing
Note
Check the carrier's live schedule and booking confirmation for routing and transit time.
MSC
Indian Ocean loop
Frequency
Check current schedule
Rotation
Service rotations vary. Confirm the current port call with the carrier.
Transit
Request current routing
Note
Check the carrier's live schedule and equipment availability for your cargo.
PIL
Indian Ocean Islands
Frequency
Check current schedule
Rotation
Service rotations vary. Confirm the current port call with the carrier.
Transit
Request current routing
Note
Confirm the current port call and transit time directly with the carrier before quoting.
Maersk / Safmarine
Wafmax / East Africa
Frequency
Check current schedule
Rotation
Service rotations vary. Confirm the current port call with the carrier.
Transit
Request current routing
Note
Check the carrier's live schedule and confirm equipment and service scope for project cargo.
Transit Intelligence
How long does it take from your origin?
Transit depends on the origin, transshipment, service, and sailing date. Treat any quote as shipment-specific and verify it with the carrier.
Durban
Check live schedule
Carrier dependent
Mumbai
Check live schedule
Carrier dependent
Dubai
Check live schedule
Carrier dependent
Shanghai
Check live schedule
Carrier dependent
Marseille
Check live schedule
Carrier dependent
Nairobi
Check live schedule
Air or multimodal; confirm routing
Transit times and cut-offs vary by sailing. Confirm current estimates directly with the carrier. Customs clearance time depends on the shipment and applicable procedures.
South Africa Corridor — New
Durban–Toamasina:
the short corridor most forwarders overlook.
Durban is one possible origin for sea freight to Madagascar. Service availability, transshipment, transit time, and price depend on the sailing and cargo. Confirm current routing with the carrier and check origin rules before claiming preferential duty.
Verify
Transit estimate
Carrier
Schedule source
Cargo
Routing dependent
Typical SA → Madagascar cargo
Vehicles & Machinery
Right-hand drive imports, construction equipment, mining vehicles.
FMCG & Beverages
SAB, Distell, Tiger Brands — Madagascar retail and hotel supply chain.
Steel & Building Materials
South African construction product exports via Durban.
Pharmaceuticals
South African pharmaceutical manufacturers servicing the IOI market.
Indian Ocean Corridor
Every vessel that calls has a story.
We know the ones that matter.
Port Intelligence
Toamasina — what the port data actually says
Toamasina
National interest port
Madagascar's principal international commercial port. Verify operational details with the port authority and terminal.
MICTSL
Container terminal
Operated by Madagascar International Container Terminal Services Ltd, part of ICTSI.
Schedules change
Vessel calls
Confirm the planned call and cut-off against the carrier's current booking schedule.
Cargo dependent
Port handling
Terminal procedures, charges, and equipment depend on cargo and current port tariffs.
Terminal Operator
MICTSL
MICTSL is the container terminal operator at Toamasina and is part of ICTSI. Check the terminal or port authority for current operational information.
Port development
Check current authority updates
Infrastructure plans, timelines, and capacity figures can change. Consult the port authority for current project status and operational notices.
Key secondary ports
Mahajanga (MGMJN)
Northwest coast · FMCG · coastal barge hub
Nosy Be (MGNOS)
Tourism & fishing · limited cargo
Ehoala (MGFTU)
Fort-Dauphin · mineral export · QMM operations
Port of Toamasina guide — berths, terminals, dwell times and congestion windows →
Air Freight
When sea freight is too slow
Pharmaceuticals, urgent parts, high-value perishables — three reliable cargo routes into Antananarivo Ivato (TNR).
Air France
AF · Paris CDG
Frequency
3× / week
Transit
~11h direct
Pharmaceuticals · perishables · urgent cargo
Air Austral
UU · Saint-Denis, Réunion
Frequency
Daily
Transit
~1.5h
Regional hub transfer · belly freight · IOI logistics
Kenya Airways
KQ · Nairobi NBO
Frequency
5× / week
Transit
~3h
East Africa corridor · perishables · cargo charter
All air cargo into Madagascar clears Antananarivo Ivato (TNR). Domestic onward to Toamasina or regional airports via Air Madagascar domestic network or truck.
Planning a shipment?
Get a transit estimate before you quote your client.
Tell us origin, cargo type, and urgency. We come back with the realistic window — including the port cut-off, carrier options, and the documentation your client will need at arrival.
Corridor playbooks
The lanes that carry the volume — read the dedicated brief.
Durban → Toamasina
Availability and transit depend on the current sailing. Check the carrier schedule for your shipment date.
Read →
Shanghai → Toamasina
22–27 day transit. CMA CGM Phoenix via Singapore or Colombo. The China-corridor primary lane.
Read →
Jebel Ali → Toamasina
Confirm routing, transshipment, cargo acceptance, and transit against the current carrier schedule.
Read →
Nhava Sheva → Toamasina
Confirm the port pair, routing, cargo acceptance, and transit estimate against the current carrier schedule.
Read →
Port Louis → Toamasina
3–5 day transit. Regional connecting and feeder service. Mauritius Freeport re-export staging and IOC inter-island trade.
Read →
Mombasa → Toamasina
10–14 day transit. Weekly PIL and MSC feeders via Port Louis. The East Africa lane for retail goods, inputs, and COMESA flows.
Read →
Dar es Salaam → Toamasina
7–10 day transit. Weekly feeder via Port Louis. The Tanzania corridor for agricultural inputs, consumer goods, and project cargo.
Read →
Jebel Ali → Mombasa
10–14 day transit. Weekly MSC and PIL strings. The Gulf to Kenya lane for halal cargo, retail stock, and free-zone re-exports.
Read →
Jebel Ali → Dar es Salaam
10–14 day transit. Weekly Gulf strings via Salalah. The UAE to Tanzania lane for consumer goods, vehicles, and project cargo.
Read →