The Spanish tuna fleet in the Atlantic Ocean is suffering costly damages and logistical problems due to the armed conflict in Ivory Coast. As a result of the fighting between armed fractions of the recently elected president Alassane Ouattara and those of his opponent Laurent Gbagbo, the Spanish vessels were forced to stop using the port of Abidjan in Ivory Coast. The fleet has to find more costly and time-consuming alternatives, like the ports of Ghana or Senegal, to unload their catch and forage.
Fights broke out last week in Abidjan after armed groups loyal to former president Gbagbo, who refuses to accept his loss in the last November elections, attacked the local population and peace-keeping forces of the United Nations and France. Gbagbo is under siege by troops of Ouattara in his palace in Abidjan. The international forces had hoped that this situation would have ended last week, but the forces of Gbagbo still seem to have sufficient weapons and heavy artillery to organize a counterattack.
The port of Abidjan is a strategic hub for the Spanish tuna fleet of 22 vessels in the Atlantic. Many Spanish vessels left the Indian Ocean due to the continuous menace of pirate attacks. The big Galician companies like Calvo, Jealsa, Atunsa, Petusa o Albacora make use of Abidjan. The port installations are far more up-to-date than other ports on the West African coast. The costs of necessary supplies are lower.
The nearest port able to unload catches is Takoradi in Ghana at twelve hours navigating-time from Abidjan. “This means enormous extra cost of fuel and higher operational expensesâ€, says Juan Pablo RodrÃguez of the association of Spanish tuna fleet owners ANABAC. According to RodrÃguez, the harbor installations of Takoradi are not developed and the harbor personal is less professional compared to Ivory Coast.
The Spanish tuna fishers are complaining about the lack of action undertaken by the European Union to resolve the difficult situation of their fleet in Ivory Coast. According to RodrÃguez, the EU officials are deaf to their complaints.
