German shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd has jumped on the consolidation bandwagon with the purchase of Africa liner operator NileDutch Investments.

The pair have signed a sale-and-purchase agreement giving the German company all the shares in the Rotterdam-based firm.

It marks a new era for the 40-year-old NileDutch, which operates liner services to and from West Africa.

“Africa is an important strategic growth market for Hapag-Lloyd.