Kristof Branden

Port Authority of Cotonou

Located on the Atlantic Ocean, equidistant from the ports of Lagos (71,5 miles) and Lomé (84 miles), the Port of Cotonou is positioned as the regional reference logistics platform thanks to its exceptional geographical location. With more than 10 million tonnes of annual freight, the Port of Cotonou is ranked 3rd logistics platform of reference in West Africa, after Lagos and Abidjan. It is also positioned as a transit port serving, on the one hand, the countries of the hinterland (Mali, Burkina Faso and the Republic of Niger), via the Cotonou-Niamey corridor, and on the other hand, constitutes the closest relay and transshipment port to Nigeria and Togo. The Port of Cotonou participates 90% in foreign trade, generates more than 60% of Benin's GDP and contributes between 80% to 85% to the mobilization of customs revenue, and 45% to 50% of tax revenue. This gives it the place of a key player in the national economy, as well as a prominent place in the definition of national economic policies. The Authority of the Port of Cotonou (PAC) is responsible for ensuring the maintenance and operation of port facilities, managing the port area and carrying out improvement and extension works. Since 2018, the Authority of the Port of Cotonou (PAC) has benefited from a partnership with the Port of Antwerp International, for the implementation of a new plan for the development, renovation and modernization of the equipment and services of the Port of Cotonou. Thanks to the digitization of its services and the modernization of its equipment, it now offers better quality services, with better competitiveness and transparency of costs applied to customers.