Delmas BENIN (CMA-CGM Group)
01 BP 433,
Zone Portuaire,
Boulevard de France,
Cotonou
Benin General Tel: (+229) 21311576 / 90033062 Fax: (+229) 21315629 E-Mail:cto.ldohou@african-agency.com
Cotonou port and city is the de facto capital of
Benin (formerly Dahomey), situated along the Gulf of Guinea. It is the starting
point of the so-called Benin-Niger Railway, which extends 273 miles (439 km)
into the interior but ends in the middle of Benin at Parakou. Goods can be
moved another 200 miles (322 km) by road to the navigable Niger River. Cotonou
is the economic hub of Benin and is the nation's largest urban centre. Its
industries include brewing, textile production, and palm-oil processing.
Modern artificial deepwater port facilities were completed in 1965 at Cotonou
to serve both Benin and Togo.
The port of Cotonou is a deep water port mainly used for the imports of cereals
and gypsum used in the construction and agricultural industries. Cotton and
kapok are the main exports.
During 1989-1991 the port was upgraded under a rehabilitation
scheme costing nearly 2.5 billion CFA.
Today the port zone covers 400,000m2. It has 8 berthing stations
divided into 4 berths of 155m for conventional vessels, 2 classical berths
of 180m for conventional vessels and 1 berth of 220m for container vessels
and 1 berth at the end of the commercial quay to take roll on, roll off vessel.
Cotonou port offers both bonded and unbondedwarehousing: Bonded: Covering an area of 57,000m2 with a container depot of 65,000
m2 and a free zone reserved for Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.
Unbonded:Numerous warehouses and store yards.
The implementation of the ISPS code came into effect on the 1st
July 2004, a global maritime security standard introduced by the International
Maritime Organisation (IMO) for member nations.
Below are the details of the Benin port plans for 2004
Port facility security plans are being put in place.
Higher cement walls (0.4m) have been added.
Strict control at gates has been enforced, with watchman and patrols in use.
Floodlighting at the quayside and waterside is in place.
All workers must have ID cards.
The port facility security officer can be contacted 24hrs a day.
OTAL has a dedicated terminal terminal offers a full range of
shore handling services exclusive to OTAL customers and which is managed by
our agency office,
Delmas BENIN (CMA-CGM Group).
OTAL has full control over shore operations, offering a complete portfolio
of services. Benefits available to importers include positioning of containers
in less than one hour after presentation of unstuffing authorisation. Transit
of cargo is therefore accelerated, allowing the importer to honour consignee
deadlines and further develop trade activities in the region.
OTALs Container Facility - Facts & Figures
Terminal incorporates 7,000m² of quay space, allowing containers to
be stacked in consignee order.
Two forklift trucks - a 50 tonne Svetruck and a 15 tonne Kalmar model -
dedicated to the shore handling of OTAL units.
Full security fencing around the entire terminal with access limited to
one entry point. Security is of extremely importance in Cotonou as 90% of
containers are unstuffed on quay.
The terminal employs its own personnel including tallymen and drivers.
The terminal is operational between 0700 hours and 2300 hours
on weekdays and between 0800 hours and 1200 hours on Saturdays.
Future developments at the terminal include a dedicated shore handling
invoice facility, which is currently being completed.
Cotonou is the major transit port for Nigeria, Niger, Burkina
and Togo and has a strong import market with high demand for a wide range of
commodities
including petroleum products, foodstuffs and light consumer goods. The region
also produces a number of agricultural products for export markets including
cotton, cashew and shea nuts.
For further information on OTAL's inland service from Cotonou, please click
here.
Transport
News
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Benin Grows To 3rd Highest Regional Exporter On Re-Export
To Nigeria - 27/05/08
According to a 2008 World Trade Indicators [WTI] report, Benin is the region’s
third best exporter in 2007. Benin’s exports have grown by 19.2% from
2% in 2005-2006 and imports by 9.9% from 4.9% in 2005-2006. The WTI noted that,
looking at Benin’s large jump in export and doubling of import growth,
it is surprising for a low-income cotton producer to achieve such a growth
level, but due to increased re-export to Nigeria, whose capacity to import
[whether through official or unofficial channels] benefited from high export
earnings related to booming oil prices.
Trade growth in Nigeria, the region’s second largest economy, remained
about the same [5% in both 2005–6 and 2007] with a large slowdown in
import growth. Export growth was positive in 2007, albeit very low [2.1%],
reversing the negative growth experienced in the period 2005–6 [2.5%],
which was largely caused by underperformance in the oil export sector.
Angola
[ranked 4th in the world], benefited from increased oil prices and exports.
They achieved their highest export growth rates in almost 35 years
[21.9%], with correspondingly huge increases in their foreign exchange earnings,
allowing them to finance rapid real import growth. Meanwhile Sierra Leone registered
a high export growth [17.1%] largely as a result of the lifting of the diamond
export ban following the civil war. Other countries that experienced large
real appreciations included the Gambia [10.7%] and two other oil producers,
Equatorial Guinea [7.1%] and Gabon [5%]. These countries’ export growth
rates were positive, ranging from 4.1% to 7.2%, and at or below the global
average.
However Mauritania recorded negative real trade growth, the region’s
newest oil producer listed disappointing export growth [7.6 % in 2007, down
from 38.3 % in 2005–6] largely due to a halving of oil output tied to
the installation of new oil exploration and extraction equipment acquired the
prior year. Chad’s 2007 negative trade and export growth rate [0.4 %
and 2.8 %, respectively] is due to a decline in both oil and non-oil exports,
indicating a large decrease from its 2000–4 export levels [56.0 %] which
were at that time, caused by a jump in oil exports. [BD 22/06/08] [Tripoli
Post 27/05/08]
President Says Roads and Railroads are Needed for African
Development -
27/05/08
President Yayi Boni, addressing the opening of the 4th meeting of Transport
Ministers of CEN-SAD
Community member states, praised the Gaddafi-Trans-Sahara Road Project that
is to connect main regions.
Yayi Boni called for advancing proposals that speed up construction of roads
and railways networks in Africa
and to execute the cooperation agreement in the field of land transportation
and transits as well as in the
maritime industry. [Tripoli Post 27/05/08]
Regional Bank Lends Benin FCFA3.5b For Road Rehabilitation -
09/05/08
The ECOWAS Investment and Development Bank [BIDC] has supported the rehabilitation
of Benin's road
network with a FCFA3.5 billion loan. The money will help to partly finance
the rehabilitation of an important
section of the road network in the economic capital, Cotonou, at an overall
estimated cost of FCFA12 billion.
The rehabilitation of the main road, which is part of the preparations for
the holding of the 10th summit of the
Community of Sahelian-Saharan States [CEN-SAD], next July. [Afriquenligne
09/05/08]
Benin Grants A Port Area Of 10,000 M2 To Chad -
08/05/08
The government of Benin has granted a port area of 10,000 m2 to Chad for receiving,
warehousing and reexporting
of merchandise to and from this country. This decision is a part of the strengthening
of the
economic partnership agreement in effect between the two countries since 2002.
According to the Minister
of Transportation, total traffic from Chad via the port of Cotonou increased
from 14,317 tonnes in 2001 to
30,422 tonnes in 2007, a 112.48% increase. [Les Afriques 08/05/08]
DP World Keen To Manage Benin's Cotonou Port -
18/04/08
DP World [www.dpworld.com] is interested in managing Benin’s port and developing
a free zone in order to bolster its gateway status after meeting President Boni
Yayi. Parent company Dubai World identified the opportunities during the latest
leg of its West African tour [which included Gabon, Congo, Mali, Senegal, Mauritania,
Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Benin]. DP World stated that Benin has high growth
potential. Non-oil trade between Dubai and Benin amounted to US$61.4million in
2007, which included import, export and re-export. The port handles trade in
cotton, crude oil and palm products among other things. Dubai World has also
entered negotiations with the government of Benin to develop large-scale tourist
attractions in the country, including a 32km beachfront development and game
park as well as an international hotel in the capital city of Porto Novo. [RT
18/04/08]
SMTC Inaugurate Cranes - 02/04/08
SMTC, a Bolloré group company, has inaugurated two GOTTWALD HM46407
cranes in Cotonou port on 01/04/08. Both President Boni Yaya and Transport
Minster Armand Zinzindohoué were present. This hardware forms part of
the Cotonou Port Authority’s [CAP] plan to modernise and improve competitiveness
of the port. The cranes cost US$11.1 million [4.6 billion Fcfa], have a unit
capacity of 100 tons to 24 meters and handle 6-8 movements per hour. [Actubenin
02/04/08]
Benin: New TVI Tax - 01/03/08
Please note the Benin authorities have implemented a ‘Taxe de Voirie’,
applicable from 21/02/08. This tax, which
has been reinstated after cancellation in 2005, amounts to 0.85% of the CIF
value and concerns cargoes in transit
for hinterland countries. It comes in addition to the road guarantee fund of
0.25%. This tax will be added to our
CTBL tariff from 01/03/08 [Bill of Lading date]. Containers already unloaded
in Cotonou or still onboard will be
treated locally by our agents in Niger or Burkina in order to collect the tax
before leaving Cotonou.
Dredging At Cotonou Port - 03/12/07
The port of Cotonou has been undergoing dredging works since 10/11/07 by Danish
company BOS KALIS. The works are focusing on the entrance of the port which
was completely obstructed by sand leaving only 30 meters of navigable water.
They will also dredge the quays to a draft of approximately 11m. We understand
that the dredging work will continue until 20/12/07. [Local agent 03/12/07]
Cotonou Port: Non Manifested Cargoes -
28/11/07
Please note that the Benin Customs have warned shipping lines and importers
regarding non manifested cargoes. Effective from 1st January 2008, all cargo
[including those shipped inside vehicles] must be manifested. Non compliance
will mean shipping lines will be obliged to load goods back to origin at
cost and to pay heavy penalties. [28/11/07]
Bolloré Starts Negotiations To Manage Port In
Cotonou - 01/11/07
France's Bolloré group has begun negotiations with authorities in the
port of Cotonou, with a view to taking over the management of port, according
to Benin's transport minister Armand Zinzindohoue. Head of State, Thomas Yayi
Boni, met Michel Roussin, vice-president of the French group during a meeting
about imminent investment by the Bolloré group.
The port is currently managed by the Beninese government. Bolloré's
activities in the port will begin with maintenance, creation and management
of dry docks. According to local reports the group's investment could exceed
Euro 30 million. [Thomson Financial News 01/11/07]
ISPS - Cotonou Port Meets Safety Standards -
23/08/07
Cotonou port meets the minimum international requirements for port facilities
and safety according to a US audit. The US Coast Guard monitoring mission
evaluation stated that the autonomous port meets minimal requirements of
the international code of safety for boats and port facilities [ISPS].
Cotonou has avoided being downgraded and classified among ports to which
it is inadvisable
and dangerous to frequent. The Benin authorities have included reinforcing
control of access to the port facilities, setting up radio and communications
facilities for security guards, lighting up the marine shoreline of the
port and training the port’s staff in mastering the ISPS code. [APA
23/08/07]
Cotonou Port Draft -
03/09/07
Following a study made in Cotonou port the official maximum draft is 9m [high
tide/daylight berthing] as from 24th September 2007. Max LOA: 200m / Beam:50m
[SAGA 03/09/07]
Cotonou Port Receives Liebherr Cranes -
08/03/07
Two Liebherr LHM 500 cranes [www.liebherr.com] have been delivered to Cotonou
port. These cranes are exclusively for Danish Stevedores COMAN SA. The cranes
have a maximum lifting capacity of 140 tonnes [depending on winch configuration]
and 51 m max. radius.
IMF Mission On The Second Review Under Benin's PRGF -
08/03/07
An IMF mission visited Benin during 21/02-07/03 to conduct the second review
under Benin's Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility [PRGF] Arrangement. The
mission met President Boni Yayi, the Minister of Development, Economy and
Finance, Mr. Pascal Koupaki, his deputy, Mr. Albert Houngbo, Mr. Marcel A.
de Souza, the National Director for the Central bank [BCEAO], and other senior
officials of the government. The mission noted limited
progress was achieved in the port area where implementation of consolidated
electronic billing of port services, an end-December 2006 structural performance
criterion, was not effected. By and large, Benin's PRGF-supported program was
maintained on track. [IMF 08/03/07]
Conakry Port Extension – Tenders Launched -
12/12/06
The Ministère des Travaux Publics et des Transports and the Port Autonome
de Conakry [Conakry Port Authorities] have launched the tender for the extension
of the Conakry Container Terminal [CTS]. Works are expected to start by July
2007.
Tanene Bridge Repaired - 12/12/06
According to the government the Tanene Bridge which links Conakry to the
cities of Boke and Fria has been repaired. This will aid movement of mining
products
as Boke and Fria are big mining centers. two Two of the world's leading
producers of aluminium are based here: Alcoa [Boke] and Rusal [Fria]. [OTAL
Agent 12/12/06]
State Petrol Chaos Slows Down Port Activity - 22/06/06
Decisions are being taken at state level by the new government. The manager
of Continentale des Pétroles et des Investissements [CPI] has been
jailed. CPI is the majority owner of SONACOP [Société Nationale
de Commercialisation des Produits Pétroliers] whose coffers are empty
and who have been unable to sufficiently supply the market for years which
has often crippled the country, and in particular the port sector with recurrent
stock disruptions.
New Manager At Cotonou Port Pledges Competitiveness -
08/09/06
On 31/07/06, Christophe Aguessy replaced Mr Lazare Gnonlonfoun as the new Director
of the Port of Cotonou following a ministerial decree. Mr Aguessy is a banker
from the West African Bank of Development [BOAD]. Mr Aguessy has a mammoth
task ahead but is determined to develop the port infrastructure and react
to decisions taken after consultation of the port industry’s stakeholders
Cotonou Port Customs Add Tax/Escort Charge On Aged Transit
Vehicles - 22/08/06
Under new Custom reforms a payment of 81,000 FCFA will be imposed on any aged
vehicle in transit via the Port of Cotonou to the hinterland. Local meetings
with the Customs authorities are underway but as yet have not resolved this
situation. [SAGA Benin 21/08/06]
Creation Of A Joint Commission Benin-Nigeria - 28/09/06
The economic relations between Benin and Nigeria are rated a priority under
the policy to boost the Benin economy. Soon a high level joint commission
for cooperation between the two countries will be established to enhance
this.
The Joint Gabon-Benin Commission - 25/09/06
The third session of the economic cooperation commission for Gabon and Benin
will be held before the end of the year in Libreville, after the 24-hour
visit of the president of Benin Thomas Yayi Boni to Gabon
FG Moves to Repair Benin-Ore Road -05/10/06
The Federal Government has begun repairs to federal roads which have deteriorated
as a result of recent torrential rain. According to Works Minister, Chief
Cornelius Adebayo they include Benin-Ore and Onitsha-Enugu roads. He said
directors in the Ministry and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency [FERMA]
had been directed to identify all roads in need of similar intervention.
[25/09/06]
