From August 26th to 28th, 2025, the city of Rouen became the nerve center of international cocoa trade by hosting the Cocoa Freight Negotiation (CFN). This strategic event brought together Ghana’s cocoa sector— the world’s second-largest producer after Côte d’Ivoire— and all the shipping companies involved in Ghanaian cocoa transportation.
The Cocoa Freight Negotiation: a key moment for the global cocoa industry.
Each year, the Cocoa Marketing Company – a wholly subsidiary of the Ghana Cocoa Board – the public body that regulates the cocoa sector, purchases, stores, and exports the national production—organizes this meeting. Ghanaian producers do not sell directly on international markets: it is the Cocoa Board-approved buyers who handle the marketing, ensuring regulation, consistent quality, and traceability of the cocoa. The CFN provides an opportunity for shipping companies to negotiate transport contracts, whether for cocoa shipped in bags, in bulk, or in containers, from the ports of Tema and Takoradi (Ghana).
At the initiative of Senalia, this conference brought together international representatives of more than 20 shipping lines to address the challenges of cocoa transport.
Thanks to its agro-industrial and port infrastructure, Rouen—France’s leading port for cocoa bean storage—has established itself as a legitimate destination for this global gathering.
We want to express our sincere thanks to the Ghana Cocoa Board for placing their trust in Sénalia to organize the Cocoa Freight Conference.
We also want to thank all the shipping lines representatives.
We are also grateful to UPR, Haropa Port, and Soget for their valuable collaboration and support in making this event a success.
