News

Acording to Budd’s Benin office, the port of Cotonou has
now introduced measures aimed at preventing the Ebola virus from entering the
country.

Below you will find our in-house translation of the
port circular.

CIRCULAR N° 2173/PAC/DG/DGA/SG/DCM/DOMS

Concerning the
Conditions of Access for Vessels in the Port of Cotonou in the Context of the
Fight Against the Ebola Virus.

The Managing Director of the Port of Cotonou draws the
attention of all port users, and in particular ship agents, to the following
preventive measures which are being introduced to fight the Ebola virus and
which must be strictly applied by all vessels seeking to enter the port:

1. Three
   days before their ETA in the port of Cotonou, all vessels must provide the
   Harbour Master with the full list of their ten previous ports of call;

2. All
   vessels which have either come from or have called in a country where there is
   an Ebola outbreak must have on board all the equipment necessary to prevent the
   virus from spreading;

3. Vessels
   which have either come from or have called in a country where there is an Ebola
   outbreak and which have on board all the equipment necessary to prevent the
   virus from spreading, must stay on the roads until such time as they have
   undergone an inspection by the agents of the Ministry of Public Health and
   received authorisation to circulate freely. 
   Only then will the Pilot be authorised to assist with berthing;

4. In
   addition, gloves and protective masks must be worn by all persons and all crew
   members while the vessel is berthed in the port of Cotonou.

The Managing Director of the Port of Cotonou counts on
the understanding and collaboration of all those who utilise the port and in
particular ship’s agents, to ensure that the present measures are applied
without exception.

Cotonou, 11 September 2014.