Authorities in Benin say a routine inspection at Cotonou uncovered undeclared goods concealed within a container manifested as general merchandise.
The exercise involved coordinated patrols and information-sharing drills with neighbouring navies as part of ongoing Gulf of Guinea security cooperation.
Regional maritime security monitors say coordinated naval patrols and faster incident reporting have driven a sustained decline in piracy incidents.
Joint patrols between Senegalese and Mauritanian authorities have targeted vessels fishing without valid licences in shared coastal waters.
Updated International Maritime Organization guidance is prompting several African maritime authorities to formalise cyber risk assessment requirements for port facilities.
An expanded information-sharing network now covers a wider stretch of coastline, giving naval forces earlier warning of vessels behaving suspiciously.
Carriers operating in African waters are reviewing how onboard IT and operational technology networks are separated, following a sector-wide security advisory.
Even as incident numbers fall, insurers and shipowners say recommended security measures for the Gulf of Guinea remain largely unchanged.
A proposed regional framework would set minimum cybersecurity standards specifically for terminal operating systems at major African ports.