Port of Abidjan: The Success Story of an African Giant Led by Hien Yacouba Sié

Appointed in December 2010 by the President of the Republic, His Excellency Alassane OUATTARA, Mr. Hien Yacouba SIÉ officially assumed his role as Director General of the Autonomous Port of Abidjan (PAA) in April 2011. Since taking office, he has led the institution with a clear vision focused on modernization, performance, and the international prominence of the Port of Abidjan through the implementation of key reforms and major projects.

Retrospective of a Great Builder

When Hien SIÉ took over the leadership of the Port of Abidjan in 2011, the situation was challenging. Traffic was declining, financial balances were fragile, infrastructure lagged behind international maritime standards, and confidence from economic partners had eroded. The port appeared to be losing momentum.

Faced with these challenges, the Director General immediately initiated a deep transformation. Guided by a clear vision and strong capacity for action, he set a strategic priority: to sustainably revitalize the Port of Abidjan and reposition it as a leading logistics hub in West Africa.

This ambition translated into a structured strategy around four major axes: modernizing infrastructure, strengthening operational performance, restoring partners’ confidence, and supporting the competitiveness of national and regional economies.

• Infrastructure Modernization: Upgrading existing facilities and developing new ones to meet current needs.
• Consolidation of Regional Leadership: Re-establishing the Port of Abidjan as the main hub for transshipment and transit on the West African coast.
• Quality Management: Strengthening operational and service standards.
• Safety and Environmental Compliance: Ensuring rigorous adherence to international security and environmental standards.

The first phase focused on rehabilitating aging infrastructure, which enabled the rapid recovery of port activities and a gradual return of traffic to pre-crisis levels.

Leadership Aligned with National Priorities

The rise to power of President Alassane OUATTARA marked a decisive turning point for Côte d’Ivoire. Under his leadership, a large-scale program for modernizing strategic infrastructure was launched, with priority given to key sectors such as transport, logistics, and foreign trade.

Hien SIÉ, an experienced engineer, aligned himself with this presidential vision with loyalty, competence, and efficiency. Supported by government development plans (2012–2015 and 2016–2020), several new infrastructure projects were initiated to address identified shortcomings.

Notable projects include:

• The Construction of a Mole at the Fishing Terminal (2015), now fully operational.
• The Widening and Deepening of the Vridi Canal (2019), allowing vessels with a 16-meter draft to dock without length restrictions.
• The Second Container Terminal (2022), labeled a “Green Terminal,” which significantly increased container handling capacity and attracted new international shipping lines.
• A Modern Ro-Ro Terminal (2018), with an annual capacity of 70,000 vehicles, establishing the port as a major transshipment hub for automobiles.
• Upgrading of Bulk Cargo Quays (2017), increasing capacity from 30,000 to 50,000 tonnes.
• Land Reclamation Projects, creating additional space for storage and industrial units, with 40 hectares completed in the first phase.
• A Cereal Terminal (2023), making the Port of Abidjan a key hub for the distribution of cereals imported by West African countries.

This extensive development program earned Hien SIÉ the rank of Commander in the National Order on February 21, 2019.

Continuous Growth

These projects form the foundation of sustained growth. Thanks to these efforts, the Port of Abidjan has seen traffic rise dramatically, reinforcing its role as a national economic driver. In 2024, total cargo throughput reached 40.1 million tonnes, a 15.6% increase compared to 2023. Container traffic has surged to 1.6 million TEUs, with 532,470 containers transshipped, thanks to the second container terminal.

Bold Reforms for Deep Transformation

Modernizing infrastructure is at the core of Hien SIÉ’s leadership, but other reforms have been equally important:

• Financial Governance: Strengthening internal control, reducing unproductive costs, and increasing revenues. From 2013, the port’s revenue showed consistent growth.
• Credit Ratings: Bloomfield Investment Corporation awarded the port a “BBB-” long-term and “B” short-term rating in 2013, with a positive outlook. By 2025, ratings had risen to “AA” long-term and “A1” short-term, with stable prospects through August 2026, enabling the port to raise funds for further investments.
• Safety and Security: Significant investments improved compliance with international standards. The Port of Abidjan is now on the U.S. Coast Guard’s “White List” of safe and secure ports.
• Service Quality: Staff were trained to meet international standards, and certifications achieved include ISO 9001:2015 (Quality), ISO 14001:2015 (Environment), ISPS Code (Port Security), and ISO 27001:2022 (Information Security Management).

Recognitions and Achievements

The Port of Abidjan’s accomplishments under Hien SIÉ’s leadership have been widely recognized:

• National Excellence Award for contribution to the transport sector (2023) by President Alassane OUATTARA.
• 2024 Economic and Financial Performance Award from the Minister of State Holdings, Moussa SANOGO.
• Best Construction Project Award (2024) by the Project Management Institute Côte d’Ivoire.
• African Port Awards 2024 (Conakry): Best import-export traffic, best container traffic, and best transit traffic.
• 45th Council of AGPAOC Awards (Pointe-Noire): Best Import Traffic Performance and Best Transit Traffic 2024.

These awards confirm the Port of Abidjan’s position as one of the continent’s most efficient and strategic logistics platforms.

A Key Player in Regional Port Cooperation

Hien SIÉ also strengthened regional and international port cooperation. The Port of Abidjan increased strategic partnerships with other ports, specialized institutions, and major logistics players. He was elected Vice-President of the Africa-Europe region of the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) in June 2015 and President of the Association of West and Central African Ports (AGPAOC) in May 2013.

A Leading Port in West Africa

Today, in 2025, the Port of Abidjan stands as one of the most innovative and high-performing ports on Africa’s Atlantic coast. Traffic growth, increased revenue, improved competitiveness, and national and international recognition demonstrate its strategic role in regional economic integration.

Through his leadership, foresight, and commitment to the public interest, Hien Yacouba SIÉ has written one of the most remarkable chapters in the port’s history, restoring hope to the entire ecosystem and elevating the Port of Abidjan as a national pride.

The 75th-anniversary celebrations of the Port of Abidjan, held on September 11–12, 2025, under the High Patronage of President Alassane OUATTARA, highlighted these achievements and reaffirmed the commitment to continue reforms and ambitious future projects.