YAOUNDE, July 15 – Cameroon’s Port of Douala-Bonaberi has resumed normal operations after a collision between two cargo vessels temporarily blocked its main navigation channel, disrupting maritime traffic through one of Central Africa’s busiest seaports.
The incident occurred early on Sunday near buoy No. 20 in the Douala-Bonaberi channel when the outbound Tuvalu-registered MV Sea Honor collided with the inbound Cyprus-flagged MV Black Rhino.
Although no fatalities were reported, both vessels sustained significant damage, forcing authorities to temporarily suspend navigation while emergency clearance operations were carried out. Officials did not disclose the economic impact of the disruption.
Cameroon’s Minister of Transport, Jean Ernest Massena Ngalle Bibehe, confirmed that the navigation channel has now been fully cleared and maritime traffic has resumed under normal safety conditions.
According to the minister, “MV Sea Honor was cleared from the channel and towed to the anchorage area, while MV Black Rhino was deliberately run aground along the line of red buoys to ensure the safety of navigation and facilitate clearance operations.”
The Ministry of Transport also confirmed that all 15 crew members aboard MV Black Rhino were safely evacuated and received assistance in accordance with national maritime rescue procedures.
The Port Authority of Douala has launched a technical investigation to determine the exact cause of the collision.
According to the authority, preliminary findings indicate that a loss of steering control aboard MV Black Rhino may have caused the accident, although investigations remain ongoing.
The Port of Douala-Bonaberi handles the majority of Cameroon’s maritime trade and serves as a critical gateway for imports and exports destined for the landlocked economies of Chad and the Central African Republic.
The swift reopening of the navigation channel is expected to minimise further disruptions to regional trade flows, reinforcing the port’s strategic importance to Central Africa’s supply chains.
