BENIN: Entering the Autonomous Port of Cotonou last week Friday, the Crystal Symphony was officially the largest cruise ship to enter the port and helped affirm the country’s growing appeal for international cruise passengers.

MAURITIUS: “Port safety and security is our top priority. It is the security of the state and there should be no compromise”, reaffirmed the Minister of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries, Dr Arvin Boolell, at the opening ceremony of a National Tabletop Exercise and Workshop on Development of a National Maritime Security Committee.

KENYA: A regional workshop led by the International Maritime Organisation in Mombasa has helped maritime professionals in Eastern and Southern Africa enhance their understanding of flag States’ obligations under IMO conventions, and how to authorise Recognized Organisations to ensure these obligations are met. 

GHANA: MPS Terminal 3 at the Port of Tema recently received one of the world’s largest container ships, the 400-metre-long MSC Türkiye, effectively helping position the port as a major transshipment and trade hub along the West African coast.

LIBERIA: In a groundbreaking milestone for Liberia’s fisheries sector, the Bushrod Island fishing community of Banjor is now home to the country’s first-ever fibreglass fishing vessel production site, an initiative made possible through funding from the World Bank under the Liberia Sustainable Management of Fisheries Project (LSMFP).

TUNISIA: The Tunisian Navy conducted a commissioning ceremony for two American 34 metre, Island Class Patrol Boats, yesterday as the vessels became the latest in a series of equipment contributed by the United States of America (USA) to strengthen the country’s maritime borders and promote regional security.

SENEGAL: A three-day workshop highlighted the importance of managing Senegal’s Marine Protected Areas (MPA) as vital assets for conserving biodiversity and advancing the region’s blue economy.

SOUTH AFRICA: A programme aimed to discuss the way forward to develop maritime careers and identify the training requirements to meet future trends drew a diverse audience in Cape Town yesterday where the Transport Education Training Authority (TETA) co-hosted an industry engagement with Fisheries & Aquaculture Development Institute (FADI).