THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE ABIDJAN PORT PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF OFFICER IN THE ORDER OF COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL MERIT

Autres Thursday 02 October 2025

In a solemn ceremony held at the Sofitel Hôtel Ivoire in Abidjan, the Director General of the Abidjan Port, Mr. Hien Yacouba SIE, was promoted to the rank of Officer in the Order of Commercial and Industrial Merit by the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Souleymane DIARRASSOUBA.
This distinction crowns an exemplary career marked by constant commitment to the recovery, modernization, and influence of the Abidjan Port, in line with the development vision promoted by the President of the Republic, H.E.M. Alassane OUATTARA.
This national recognition, which adds to those already received, reflects the concrete impact of the work accomplished by Mr. Hien Yacouba SIE, a man whose strategic management has made the Abidjan Port an essential link in the national and sub-regional economy.

Return on the actions of a great builder.
Appointed in December 2010 as Director General of the Abidjan Port by the President of the Republic, H.E.M. Alassane OUATTARA, Mr. Hien Yacouba SIE officially took office only in April 2011.
When he took over the General Management of the Abidjan Port, the institution was facing countless challenges: outdated infrastructure, weakened finances, and governance to be redefined. To this was added a significant decline in cargo traffic of about -54% compared to 2010.
The various components of traffic showed significant decreases. Among others, -55.4% in vessel entries, -48.6% in national traffic, -60.3% in transshipment traffic, and -85.6% in transit traffic.
Mr. Hien Yacouba SIE immediately understood that there was a Herculean task to bring the port back into the circle of relevant ports. Courageous and structural reforms were necessary to restore the Abidjan Port. For him, there was urgency, as the future of the Ivorian economy was at stake. He then decided to eliminate, one by one, the bottlenecks that hindered the performance of the Abidjan Port.
This marked the starting point of implementing a strategic vision whose objective was to make this port a first-class hub on the Atlantic coast of Africa.

This repositioning strategy includes four main areas. The first concerns the upgrading and strengthening of existing infrastructure, and the construction of new ones to meet the evolving requirements of the sector.
The second axis consists of regaining and strengthening market shares in the transshipment and transit segments in West Africa.
The third axis targets quality management enhancement, while the fourth focuses on compliance with security and environmental requirements.
Regarding infrastructure, the program began with the rehabilitation of existing facilities, which had become obsolete and unsuitable for international standards. This first phase enabled a rapid resumption of port activity and a gradual return of traffic to pre-crisis levels.

Leadership aligned with the vision of the Head of State H.E.M. Alassane OUATTARA
The accession to power of H.E.M. Alassane OUATTARA marked a decisive turning point for Côte d’Ivoire. Under his leadership, a vast program of modernization of strategic infrastructures was launched, with priority given to key sectors such as transport, logistics, and foreign trade.
It is in this favorable context that the Abidjan Port experienced a remarkable transformation.

Mr. Hien Yacouba SIE, an experienced engineer, aligned himself with this presidential vision with loyalty, competence, and efficiency.

With the support of the government, whose development plans (2012-2015 and 2016-2020) gave significant importance to the transport sector, several new infrastructure projects were initiated by the General Management of the Abidjan Port to address the identified shortcomings.

The first project launched was the construction of a pier at the Fishing Terminal. It was inaugurated and commissioned in September 2015.
Subsequently, another priority project in the strategy led by Hien SIE was the widening and deepening of the Vridi Canal. This work, inaugurated in 2019, now allows ships with a draft of 16 meters to enter easily without length restrictions.
Another strategic project successfully carried out was the second Container Terminal of the Abidjan Port, the flagship of port infrastructure. It is labeled “Green Terminal.”
This major project, operational since December 2022, has significantly increased container handling capacity and attracted new international shipping lines. With record productivity and state-of-the-art equipment, this terminal enhances the competitiveness of the Abidjan Port against major African platforms.
A new modern Ro-Ro terminal was built and commissioned in 2018. This terminal will eventually be able to handle 70,000 vehicles per year, making the Abidjan Port a major transshipment port for vehicles.
The quays of the Bulk Terminal were reinforced in 2017, allowing the reception of ships with 50,000 tons compared to 30,000 tons before.
As for optimizing the port area by creating additional land through lagoon bay reclamation: a first phase of 40 hectares has already been completed. This project aims to increase the storage capacity of the Abidjan Port with the possibility of setting up new industrial units.
Finally, a grain terminal was inaugurated on May 30, 2023. This facility enables the Abidjan Port to become the main hub for the redistribution of cereals imported in large quantities each year by the States of the sub-region for the consumption needs of the populations.

This vast development program of the Abidjan Port earned Hien SIE, who is its true mastermind, the rank of Commander in the National Order on February 21, 2019.

A dynamic of continuous growth
These projects are not just infrastructures: they are the foundation of continuous growth. Thanks to them, the Abidjan Port has seen its traffic increase spectacularly, strengthening its role as a national economic engine.
The efforts thus undertaken have led to regular growth in total cargo traffic, which reached 40.1 million tons in 2024, an increase of 15.6% compared to 2023. Container traffic, in just two years thanks to the performance of the second container terminal, exceeded the one million boxes mark to reach 1.6 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalents) with 532,470 containers transshipped.

Bold reforms for profound transformation
Modernizing infrastructure is certainly at the heart of the policy of the head of the Abidjan Port. But to develop the port, he also relies on other equally important reforms.
On the financial side, one of the essential aspects of Mr. SIE’s management was his commitment to good governance. For him, in 2011 it was necessary to clean up the company’s finances. To do this, internal control was strengthened, unproductive expenses reduced or eliminated, and revenues increased. The results were not long in coming. From 2013, turnover recorded significant and constant increases.
The financial rating agency Bloomfield Investment Corporation, commissioned by the General Management, recognized as early as March 2013 the results of these reforms. It awarded the Abidjan Port the ratings “BBB-” for the long term and “B” for the short term with “positive outlook.” Eleven years later, in 2024, this agency awarded the PAA the rating “AA” for the long term and “A1” for the short term, with stable outlook for the period from September 2024 to August 2025.
This rating provides Mr. Hien Yacouba SIÉ and his team with strong arguments to approach financial markets in order to raise funds to carry out the necessary investments for the development of the Abidjan Port.

On safety and security: another major challenge was security. Although certified since 2004 under ISPS code standards, it was absolutely necessary to quickly make significant investments to better meet international requirements. This was done. The measures taken by the Port Authority have largely contributed to making safety and security a reality at the Abidjan Port. All the actions undertaken in this area led the U.S. Coast Guard to return the Abidjan Port to the white list of safe and visitable ports in the Port Security Advisory.
The Director General of the PAA also wanted the quality of services provided to ships and cargo to meet global standards. He then engaged the company’s staff to move in this direction.

The Port Authority also emphasized other equally important reforms such as the continuous improvement of service quality through certification to Quality Standard ISO 9001:2015, Environmental Standard ISO 14001:2015, ISPS Code Standard for Ship and Port Facility Security, and certification to ISO 27001:2022, the international reference standard for effective management of the Information Security Management System (ISMS).

Results acknowledged and deserved recognition.
The numerous achievements under the leadership of Mr. Hien Yacouba SIÉ have not gone unnoticed, both nationally and internationally. The Abidjan Port has received several awards reflecting its performance, efficiency, competitiveness, and commitment to good governance.
Thus, the Abidjan Port obtained:

·              The National Excellence Award for the Best Contribution to the Promotion of the Transport Sector awarded by the President of the Republic, H.E.M. Alassane OUATTARA, on September 5, 2023, during the National Excellence Day;

·              The 2024 Award for Economic and Financial Performance in the Merchant Sector, awarded on October 2, 2024, by the Ivorian Minister of State Property, Portfolio, and Public Enterprises, Mr. Moussa SANOGO;

·              The Excellence Award for the Best Construction Project of the Year awarded by the Project Management Institute Côte d’Ivoire, on November 30, 2024;
Three major awards at the African Ports Awards in 2024 in Conakry:

·              The Award for Best Import-Export Traffic Performance 2023;

·              The Award for Best Container Traffic (TEU) 2023;

·              The Award for Best Transit Traffic (sub-regional economic integration).

A key player in port cooperation
Aware that the development of a port cannot be achieved in isolation, Mr. Hien SIE also worked to strengthen port cooperation at the regional and international level. Under his leadership, the Abidjan Port has multiplied strategic partnerships with other ports, specialized institutions, and major players in the logistics chain. This commitment resulted in a boost of cooperation activities with the election of the Director General of the Abidjan Port as Vice-President of the Africa-Europe region of the prestigious International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) in June 2015 in Hamburg (Germany).
Mr. Hien Yacouba SIÉ was also designated President of the Association of West and Central African Ports Management in May 2013 in Conakry (Guinea) during its 36th Annual Council.

In light of all the reforms undertaken, the structuring projects completed, the finances cleaned up, the awards received, and the strengthened openness to international cooperation, it is clear that Hien Yacouba SIE has left a profound and lasting mark of renewal.
His action was carried out with rigor and loyalty within the dynamic initiated by the President of the Republic, H.E.M. Alassane OUATTARA, whose vision for modern infrastructures has continuously guided the transformations undertaken.
Today, the Abidjan Port is no longer just an infrastructure; it has become a strategic lever of development, a symbol of public performance, and a showcase of national expertise in port management.

In short, the work accomplished by the Director General of the Abidjan Port is that of a builder, a man of vision and commitment, serving the general interest and national progress.