Operations have resumed at the Port of Douala-Bonabéri in Cameroon after the bulker Sea Honor collided with the cargo ship Black Rhino early on Sunday, 12 July.
The 28,400 dwt Sea Honor was outbound when it struck the inbound 5,113 dwt Black Rhino, which was carrying containers.
The collision opened a large gash in Black Rhino, and the vessel began taking on water. Its crew abandoned ship as authorities worked to ground it and prevent it from blocking the navigation channel.
Sea Honor sustained a smaller gash on its bulbous bow above the waterline and was towed to an anchorage. No injuries were reported among the crews of either vessel.
The Port Authority said its initial investigation suggested that Black Rhino had lost control. A technical investigation is continuing.
The Tuvalu-registered Sea Honor was built in 1998 and measures 177 m in length. The Cypriot Black Rhino was built in 1997 and is 100 m long.
A Port State inspection in Belgium identified 31 deficiencies on Black Rhino in 2024, leading to a 15-day detention. Two inspections in 2025 reported no deficiencies.
Cameroon’s transport minister announced on Tuesday, 14 July, that port operations had resumed.
The Port of Douala-Bonabéri handles most of Cameroon’s trade and maintains an inland transit corridor serving Chad and the Central African Republic.
