Making Cotonou competitive
Port Autonome de Cotonou
Due to its exceptional geographical position, the deep-water port of Cotonou plays a major role in shipping at the sub-regional level in West Africa.
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| Aerial view of Port Cotonou |
The port has always been the first transit port for the Republic of Niger and is also the nearest sea-port to Eastern Mali and Burkina Faso. Furthermore it is the quickest port of call to Nigeria. Cotonou lies 115 km and 135 km from Lomé (Togo) and Lagos (Nigeria) seaports respectively.
The Cotonou Port Authority is a state corporate, industrial and commercial public institution with a legal entity and financial autonomy. Established on 31 December, 1964, it is responsible for maintaining and operating the installations, managing the port area and carrying out improvement and expansion works.
Development of the port to improve its services is underway. This includes:
- The intensification of the port flotilla
with further acquisition of tug boats
and pilot boats;
- The development of traffic lanes and
accesses;
- The implementation of a system of
video surveillance;
- The acquisition and the installation
of a scanner;
- Review for the construction of a
second deep-water port;
- Development of security of access;
and,
- Construction of a transporter to
unload solid bulk (cement and
gypsum).
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Advantages for maritime traffic:
- Free passage fees
- Berthing and works on ships
carrying strategic goods for the
African hinterland countries
- Possibility of special discount on
port tariffs, based on tonnage of
goods and destination as well as
the level of trust of the client
- Road escort via the pass and
limitation of road traffic control
- One-stop billing system for the
whole port community
Berthing facilities at the commercial quay
- 6 conventional berths, 155 to 180m
long each
- 1 container berth, 220m long
- 1 roll-on / roll-off quay
Berthing facilities on the Eastern jetty
- 1 berth for tankers and bulk
carriers, 200m long
- 1 berth for edible oil tankers,
160m long
- 1 berth for licensed fishing boats
10m long
Storage
- Cargo warehouses, transit sheds
and facilities under customs
authority: over 100,000 sq. m
- Tarred platforms of 20,000 sq. m
- Equipped container stocks: three
container terminals 150,000 sq. m
- Free disposal zones at Niger,
Burkina Faso and Mali
- Huge pavements in free zones for
commercial and industrial use
Specific purpose facilities
Purposes facilities for sea fishing
- A 165m long dock
- A 1560 sq. m sorted hall
- A wholesale hall
Petroleum tanks and vegetable
oil tanks
- 43,700 cu m
- Grain silos: 11,000 tons capacity
Hydrocarbons storage
- an oil wharf (250m)
- a storage centre with 55,000 cu m
capacity
This ultra modern centre, operating
since 1999, includes a wharf
infrastructure and a high flow loading rack. It has particularly been
designed to get maximum benefit
from the transit of oil products to
hinterland countries. |
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 Port Autonome de Cotonou
W: www.portdecotonou.com
Niger representative
Burkina Faso representative
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