Despite China’s dominant position in securing commodities across Africa, there are still many opportunities to invest in mines, bulk markets and logistics services, said Capt. Pappu Sastry, CEO of ASL, speaking at the Asia Dry Bulk Cargo Summit at Drycon in Mumbai recently.

“China is very aggressive and successful at securing resources across Africa, but there are 54 individual countries across the continent and many opportunities to invest in mining and logistics,” he told delegates.

The continuing increase in demand for bauxite and other commodities in China and India means that export volumes of many minerals are rising in West Africa. In 2015, exports of bauxite from Guinea to China were 300,000 tonnes, in 2025 the forecast is that figure will be 145 million tonnes, Capt. Sastry told delegates.

“For a bauxite mine of 500 sq. kms there is an investment of between US $5 million and US$ 10 million and when it comes to production, we can help structure finance so that Capex can be converted into Opex.If you can control your own bauxite, you can control your own shipping.”

ASL partners with African Bulk Shipping (ABS) headed by Daasebre Akuamoah Boateng III who is the Paramount Chief of Kwahu Traditional Area in Ghana. Daasebre also attend and spoke at Drycon in Mumbai and highlighted the bulk shipping opportunities within West Africa and from/to Africa in general.

He enumerated the mining and mineral opportunities across the West African Region, the current deficiency and need for logistics infrastructure and the strategic potential to be generated by developing the inland waterway system.  Daasebre reiterated the growing demand by African leaders for some form of origination value addition which is also being amplified by global sustainability energy efficiency demands on shipping fleets. Daasebre gave some general guidelines for Indian Ship Owners to be able to enter African markets and particularly emphasised that the Indian shipping community should look at forming partnerships across the entire mining/shipping/trading value chain to spearhead the drive into Africa. Also,leveraging on the family oriented lifestyle of the Indian community, they should critically consider creating local partnerships and wealth for communities in which they explore minerals to maximise the long term supportand security from local communities.

DRYCON, is the Dry Cargo Conference organized by Shipping Tribune Magazine every year in Mumbai. Several Shipping companies from major business hubs of India, The United Kingdom, Singapore, Hong Kong, UAE, Ghana, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Oman attended this event on 12^th June 2025.