Import European brands to Central Africa
Whitworth is a Belgian trading house shipping European food, beverage and appliance brands from Antwerp to Central Africa: DR Congo, Cameroon and Congo-Brazzaville, as well as Gabon, Chad or the Central African Republic. Mixed dry and reefer containers, FCL or LCL groupage, FOB Antwerp or CIF destination port, with a freight forwarder available to the port.
How we ship to Central Africa
Four ports of entry with sailings from Antwerp. Average sea transit times are indicative and confirmed with the proforma invoice.
Douala
Cameroon. About 18 days from Antwerp.
Matadi and Boma
DR Congo, via the Congo River estuary, gateway to Kinshasa. About 24 days from Antwerp to Matadi, often with transhipment.
Pointe-Noire
Congo-Brazzaville, also serving Brazzaville. About 22 days from Antwerp.
Libreville Owendo
Gabon. Transit time on request.
Mixed container
Dry and reefer goods in the same order. Several brands per container.
FCL or LCL groupage
Full 20 ft or 40 ft container, or LCL groupage for smaller volumes.
FOB Antwerp or CIF destination port
Buy FOB Antwerp with your own forwarder, or CIF with sea freight included.
Freight forwarder available
We can arrange the forwarder and booking to the port of arrival of your choice.
Countries in the region
DR Congo
Port of arrival: Matadi
about 24 days from Antwerp
Cameroon
Port of arrival: Douala
about 18 days from Antwerp
Congo-Brazzaville
Port of arrival: Pointe-Noire
about 22 days from Antwerp
We also serve
- GabonLibreville Owendo
- Equatorial GuineaMalabo, Bata
- Central African Republicvia Douala
- Chadvia Douala
- São Tomé and PríncipeSão Tomé
Landlocked countries: arrival at a coastal port, then onward transport by road with your forwarder.
Brands available for Central Africa
Brands in our selection, loaded in Antwerp. Availability and formats per reference are confirmed on the proforma invoice.
Product categories
- Grocery and beverages
- Seasonings and bouillon
- Malt drinks and soft drinks
- Biscuits and confectionery
- Sauces and condiments
- Small appliances
How an order works
Enquiry
Send your product list, volumes and port of arrival. Online or on WhatsApp.
Proforma invoice
We confirm prices, pallets, container fill, Incoterm and payment terms.
Production and consolidation
Goods are sourced, then consolidated and loaded in Antwerp.
Shipping and documents
Sea freight to the port of arrival and export documents sent to you and your clearing agent.
Fill your container
Pick your port of arrival (Douala, Matadi, Pointe-Noire or Libreville), add products by case or pallet and see how full your 20 ft or 40 ft container is before you ask for a quote.
Questions from importers
Which port should I choose in Central Africa?
Choose the port closest to your warehouses and customers: Douala for Cameroon, Matadi or Boma for DR Congo and Kinshasa, Pointe-Noire for Congo-Brazzaville, Libreville Owendo for Gabon. For Chad and the Central African Republic, goods arrive in Douala and continue by road with your forwarder. The port is stated on the proforma invoice.
Can I start with LCL groupage for a first trial order?
Yes. LCL groupage lets you test a few brands and references before moving to a full 20 ft or 40 ft container (FCL). Send your product list and we confirm on the proforma invoice what fits your volume.
Can I mix brands, dry and reefer goods in one shipment?
Yes. Several European and Belgian brands can go in the same container, and mixed dry and reefer shipments are possible. The split is set out on the proforma invoice.
Which documents come with a shipment to Central Africa?
We provide the shipping documents for each shipment and send them to you and your clearing agent, who handles import formalities in your country. Tell us before loading what your clearing agent needs.
What is the lead time to the port of arrival?
Average sea transit from Antwerp is about 18 days to Douala, 22 days to Pointe-Noire and 24 days to Matadi, often with transhipment. For Libreville, transit time is given on request. The total lead time also depends on product availability and consolidation in Antwerp. We give you an estimate together with the proforma invoice.
Send your product list and we return a proforma invoice for your container, FOB Antwerp or CIF destination port.