Benin
Spill Notification Point
Port Autonome de Cotonou
Boite Postale 927
Cotonou
Benin
Tel: +229-312890
Tlx: 5004 DIRPORT
Competent National Authority
Ministry of Transport
National Oil Spill Response Centre of the Department of the Merchant Navy
01 BP 1234
Cotonou
Tel: +229-21 31 58 45 or +229-21 31 46 69
Fax: +229 21 31 54 or +229 21 31 61 11
Response Arrangements
Responsibility for dealing with oil spills lies with the Ministry of Transport, Department of Merchant Marine (Ministere des Transports, Direction de la Marine Marchande). The Ministry may devolve this to the local coastal administrations.
Response Policy
According to information received from GI WACAF (January 2008), a national oil spill contingency plan has been developed by the National Oil Spill Response Centre and the National Oil Spill Response Committee (CNLPMA) and officially approved, but we are unaware of further details. It is likely that dispersant use would be restricted in fishing areas and within the coastal lagoons where water turnover is limited. Manual cleaning of shorelines is likely to be the most effective response in Benin. No specialist facilities exist for dealing with oily wastes, and landfill is the most viable option.
Equipment
Government
There is no dedicated oil spill response equipment available in Benin. The military would provide aircraft for surveillance and monitoring duties.
Private
A variety of earth moving and agricultural equipment suitable for beach cleaning, and labour, are available commercially.
Previous Spill Experience
There do not appear to have been any major spills in Benin.
Conventions
Prevention & Safety
| MARPOL Annexes | |||||
| 73/78 | III | IV | V | VI | |
| ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Spill Response
| OPRC '90 | OPRC HNS |
| ✔ |
Compensation
| CLC | Fund | Supp | HNS* | Bunker | ||
| '69 | '76 | '92 | '92 | Fund | ||
| ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
* not yet in force
Regional & Bilateral Agreements
- Abidjan Convention (with states of the West and Central African Region).
Date of issue: June 2010
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