Botswana has 11 ports and terminals indexed in the Ecer Freight database, with the country functioning as a landlocked regional logistics market connected to seaports in neighboring countries.
Review Botswana port and terminal codes, inland logistics points, regional gateways and indicative sea-freight routing options.
Botswana is landlocked and does not have a coastline or a conventional seaport system. The indexed records below should therefore be read as database port and terminal coverage, while international ocean cargo generally moves through gateways in South Africa, Mozambique or Namibia before continuing by road or rail.
How many seaports does Botswana have?
Botswana has 11 seaports and terminals indexed by Ecer Freight, although Botswana is landlocked and these records should not be interpreted as 11 coastal seaports.
Which is the largest or busiest indexed port location?
Gaborone, identified by UN/LOCODE BWGBE, is the highest-ranked Botswana record in the Ecer Freight sample by indexed activity. It is an inland logistics location rather than a coastal container port.
Which areas handle the main freight activity?
The principal indexed freight locations are Gaborone (BWGBE), Francistown (BWFRA) and Selebi-phikwe (BWSEL), serving inland distribution, industrial and regional cargo functions.
Botswana has no coastal port league table. The following records are the leading Botswana entries available in the supplied database sample; maritime world rank and container throughput are not applicable or not publicly reported for these inland locations.
Indexed activity order and 2025 maritime metrics
| World rank | Port | UN-LOCODE | 2025 throughput (M TEU) | YoY change | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Gaborone | BWGBE | — | — | South-East Botswana |
| — | Francistown | BWFRA | — | — | North-East Botswana |
| — | Selebi-phikwe | BWSEL | — | — | Central-East Botswana |
The Gaborone area is Botswana’s principal administrative, commercial and distribution centre, linking inland cargo with regional road and rail corridors.
South-East Botswana indexed location
| Port | UN-LOCODE | City / Province | Main cargo role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaborone | BWGBE | Gaborone | Inland distribution and regional freight coordination |
Francistown is a major inland commercial location on the north-eastern transport network and a potential consolidation point for regional cargo.
North-East Botswana indexed location
| Port | UN-LOCODE | City / Province | Main cargo role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Francistown | BWFRA | Francistown | Inland cargo distribution and cross-border logistics |
Selebi-phikwe is represented in the database as an inland industrial and logistics location. Cargo volumes and terminal functions require shipment-specific confirmation.
Central-East Botswana indexed location
| Port | UN-LOCODE | City / Province | Main cargo role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selebi-phikwe | BWSEL | Selebi-phikwe | Industrial and inland freight support |
Botswana UN/LOCODEs begin with the ISO country prefix BW and are followed by a three-letter location identifier. Examples in the indexed sample include BWGBE for Gaborone, BWFRA for Francistown and BWSEL for Selebi-phikwe.
A city-level code may represent an inland logistics market, while a terminal-level record can identify a more specific cargo facility. The operational meaning, equipment availability and customs status should be confirmed before booking.
Compare the location name, country prefix and transport function against the UNECE reference framework, then cross-check available Ecer Freight records through the UNECE website and the Port Codes directory.
Because Botswana is landlocked, ocean freight is normally arranged through a neighboring country’s seaport, followed by an inland road or rail leg. Transit times are indicative and subject to border, equipment, routing and customs conditions.
A common regional option is inland trucking or rail-linked movement to Durban for export or import connections, subject to the selected carrier and border plan.
Maputo can serve selected eastern and southern African supply chains when routing, cargo type and inland transport capacity make the corridor commercially suitable.
Walvis Bay may be considered for Atlantic-facing cargo where the inland route and vessel schedule provide a competitive alternative to southern or eastern gateways.
FCL and LCL cargo can be consolidated through a regional gateway, with the final routing determined by cargo dimensions, commodity, delivery city and customs requirements.
Editorial note: This Botswana guide separates Ecer Freight’s first-party indexed coverage from maritime throughput league-table data. Port and terminal records are reviewed against available location references, while routing, carrier schedules, inland charges and transit times are updated as market conditions change. Data is reviewed quarterly, with the current snapshot dated Nov 2026 and the latest complete statistical year treated as 2025 where official figures are available.
Ecer Freight · Seaports in Botswana: Port Codes, Throughput & Regional Guide (2026) · Data reviewed quarterly · Port Codes · Ports by Country · Contact
