West African ports Dakar and Cotonou expand capacity and infrastructure

Major West African ports are undergoing significant growth and infrastructure upgrades to enhance regional logistics. The Port Autonome de Dakar reported a 21% increase in activity, processing 908,000 containers and 29 million tonnes of goods over the last two years. This growth has moved Dakar to the top of the container port rankings in sub-Saharan Africa and improved its global standing from 371st to 108th place. The port reported a turnover of 85.63 billion FCFA, with plans to invest 56 billion FCFA into modernizing Môle 4.

Simultaneously, the Port Autonome de Cotonou is executing a modernization project exceeding USD 200,000 to expand its basin and renew its docks. The project aims to accommodate larger vessels, including Post-Panamax container ships over 300 meters in length, by increasing draft depths to 15 and 16 meters. The expansion involves extending the existing basin westward by approximately five hectares and constructing new northern and southern docks to strengthen Benin’s competitiveness in regional trade corridors.