The Port Autonome de Cotonou has strengthened its nautical capabilities with the official christening of its new pilot boat, AVLÉKÉTÉ, on Monday, July 27, 2026. Now sailing under the Beninese flag, the new boat will provide additional support for assisting vessels entering and leaving the port.
The Port Autonome de Cotonou held the christening ceremony at the port platform’s tugboat station, with officials from the port and maritime sector in attendance. Those present included Damien HOUSSIN, Director of Port Operations and Security; Mrs. Hakilath IDRISSOU, wife of BIO YERIMA, Director of Legal Affairs and Litigation; Charles-Bennett FAYOMI, Port Commander; and Mr. Ahodomon Elie-Marcel, Technical Adviser to the Director General. The Director of Port, Maritime and River-Lagoon Affairs at the Ministry of Living Environment and Transport, responsible for Sustainable Development, also attended.
Measuring 19.01 metres in length, 4.51 metres in beam and 2.11 metres in draught, AVLÉKÉTÉ is a twin-waterjet pilot boat built to transport maritime pilots safely and efficiently to vessels.
Its technical design allows it to manoeuvre close to large vessels with greater precision and responsiveness. Instead of conventional propellers, the boat uses two Hamilton waterjets, which are well suited to port nautical operations.
AVLÉKÉTÉ delivers 2 x 1,030 kW of power, giving it the speed and performance required for pilotage operations. With BV Zone 3 certification, the boat can operate up to 20 nautical miles from the coast.
The arrival of AVLÉKÉTÉ forms part of the Port of Cotonou’s efforts to improve its nautical and operational resources. Together with the two tugboats that remain available to support port operations, the new pilot boat will provide additional capacity for assisting vessels and maintaining reliable port services.
With this investment, the Port of Cotonou is expanding its nautical resources to provide safer and more efficient services as maritime traffic continues to grow.
source: https://maritimafrica.com/
