Benin coastal monitoring system

The government of Benin has awarded a €12.5 million contract to Norwegian technology company Vissim to deliver a coastal monitoring system for improved environmental monitoring and safety along the country’s coastline.

“We will essentially digitise the coastline and ocean area offshore Benin, plus the country’s busiest port. This enables the authorities to enhance protection of the local environment, combat illegal fishing, improve maritime safety, optimise port efficiency and thereby contribute towards lower greenhouse gas emissions from shipping,” said Per Henæs, CEO of Vissim.

Integrated software

The core of Vissim’s technology is a specially designed software platform which through millions of data points creates situational awareness of the geographical area and increases understanding of maritime safety, security and efficiency.

Vissim has delivered similar systems to authorities in Thailand and Egypt, plus to offshore wind farms all over the world.

The system provides a real time overview of marine traffic and factors affecting it, such as weather, wind, wave height, tidal conditions and more. It also integrates data from CCTV-cameras, the automatic vessel identification system (AIS), weather stations, VHF radio traffic and drones.

Mr Henæs said that the ministry of environment can utilise the system to monitor and prevent oil spills and illegal sewage discharge from vessels, while the ministry of fisheries can detect and prevent illegal fishing.

Customs can check that vessels arriving in Benin are cleared and thereby prevent smuggling. Harbour authorities can ensure safer entry and departure and more efficient port logistics. The police can utilise the system to prevent piracy, which can be a problem for vessels that are moored in the Gulf of Guinea.

Vissim’s scope of work includes delivery of four sensor sites along Benin’s coastline. Each of the coastal monitoring base stations will be equipped with CCTV, radars and technology that can detect oil spills. The equipment will cover the entire coastline and up to 25 nautical miles offshore. The company will also supply drones that are equipped with advanced cameras.

The company will also deliver infrastructure such as servers and large screens to a 500 square metre control room that is located in Cotonou, which is Benin’s largest port.

According to the contract, which is funded by Export Finance Norway, all equipment should be installed and operational by April 2023.

The contract between Vissim and Beninese authorities includes options to further expand their cooperation and the coastal monitoring system. For example, there is a contract option to install transponders on 800 Beninese fishing vessels as part of the efforts to prevent illegal fishing from foreign fishing vessels up to 25 nautical miles offshore.