Something has shifted at the Port of Cotonou, and the numbers tell the story. While West African port hubs buckle under critical congestion, Benin’s maritime gateway now gets containers into importers’ hands in just 36 to 72 hours — a decisive break from the bottlenecks that define the sub-region. That turnaround is no longer an aspiration; it is the operational reality on the ground.
A region straining, a port rising
Across much of West Africa, maritime logistics has become a grind. Yet the Port of Cotonou (PAC) stands out for its resilience. At the “PAC Média Connect” gathering in early October 2026, Charles Bennett Fayomi, Director of Port Operations and Security, laid out a comparative picture of commercial activity that made the gap plain.
Waiting at sea versus waiting at berth
The contrast with neighbouring ports is stark. Several of them report vessels idling offshore for six weeks to two months. In Cotonou, containers clear the quay after a pre-berthing wait of between 36 and 72 hours.
What makes the figure more striking is the pressure elsewhere: some coastal facilities are running at 200% to 250% of their intended capacity, while Benin’s port hovers around 100%.
“There are ports right now where ships sit at sea for a month and operators cannot touch their cargo. Here, we manage to hold the line,” Charles Bennett Fayomi said.
A release valve for regional trade
Paradoxically, this relative efficiency is being achieved while the port is in the middle of an expansion project. By absorbing part of the cargo surge diverted from saturated regional ports, Cotonou has become a strategic logistics alternative for West African trade.
Costs kept in check for operators
Rising volumes do put constant pressure on handling chains, but port authorities are keen to reassure economic players about the financial fallout. The PAC says it keeps ancillary fees and delay-related penalties among the lowest on the regional market, protecting the competitiveness of Benin’s corridor.