Cotonou
Cotonou, Benin
Representative image — a terminal of this type, not a photograph of this port. Frans van Heerden / Pexels.
About Cotonou
Cotonou is Benin's only deep-water port and carries an unusually large volume of transit traffic for its size, serving Niger and northern Nigeria as well as the domestic market. That transit share means customs processing at the port is doing two different jobs at once, and clearance times vary accordingly. Vehicle imports are a substantial part of the trade.
First Base Freight handles both import and export cargo through Cotonou — inbound from any country and outbound to any country. Indicative sea transit on our the UK lane is 16–21 days; transit on any other routing is confirmed at quote stage. For rates, container options and the wider Benin lane, including air freight and customs clearance, see the country page — or request a quote for this port.
Port information
Reference details for Cotonou, which we serve for both imports and exports. The transit figure is indicative, measured on our the UK lane, and confirmed at booking — other routings are quoted individually.
- City
- Cotonou
- Country
- Benin
- Port code (UN/LOCODE)
- BJCOO
- Port type
- Container terminal
- Indicative sea transit
- 16–21 days
What to know about Cotonou
- Benin's only deep-water port
- Heavy transit traffic for Niger and northern Nigeria
- Clearance times vary with the transit workload
- Substantial vehicle import trade
Moving cargo through Cotonou? Get a quote.
Any country to any country, import or export — send us the origin, destination and cargo details and we'll come back with a competitive rate within one business day.