In a Volkswagen camper van, Lars Jensen is about to take his shipping and social media shows on the road. On July 1, he plans to set off from Copenhagen and head south through Spain, and catch a ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar toward Morocco.
Jensen's journey will take him through 41 countries and cover more than 40,000 miles - nearly double the Earth's circumference at the equator. He'll zigzag down the western coast to South Africa before turning north.
The goal is to scope out opportunities and risks - invisible from afar - to better connect Africa's economies to the global trading system.
This journey reflects the aspirations of more than one analyst's bucket list and professional curiosity. With the rise of the Global South and demographic shifts favoring emerging African economies, capital-intensive industries like freight transport are chasing growth markets where e-commerce hasn't yet plateaued.
Jensen's trip is co-sponsored by German container carrier Hapag-Lloyd AG, Danish logistics giant DSV A/S and Swiss tech company Nexxiot AG.
The journey will be a unique blend of social media engagement, shipping insights, and on-the-ground research. Jensen plans to document his experiences and share them with his 171,000 followers on LinkedIn.
As the most widely cited analyst in container shipping, Jensen's expertise is in high demand. His views on the industry are eagerly anticipated by maritime conference attendees.
By 2050, Africa's container imports will reach Europe's current volumes, according to Jensen's estimates. This growth is driven by demographic shifts and e-commerce trends.
The trip highlights the importance of understanding global trade dynamics and identifying opportunities for growth in emerging markets.
The trip reflects the aspirations of more than one analyst's bucket list and professional curiosity.
