CTR

What CTR does

CTR Sarl is a private maritime consignment and shipping agency founded in 2009 by Etienne GNAVO in Cotonou, Benin, and now headquartered in Lomé, Togo. The company specializes in harbor assistance services for tankers carrying oil, gas (LPG/LNG), and chemical cargoes, operating through independent offices in four West African ports: Cotonou (Benin), Lomé (Togo), Tema and Takoradi (Ghana, with extension to Secondi). Its service portfolio spans ship agency representation, protective agency for vessels and cargoes, specialized customs clearance for energy products, freight forwarding, parcel delivery, crew change management with visa acquisition, vessel chartering logistics, technical assistance including ship repairs at berth and anchorage and dry docking coordination, diving services, and provision of armed guards during ship-to-ship or bunkering operations.

The company's underlying technology is limited to operational logistics coordination across its port network; it does not operate a software platform, does not have an app, and has no disclosed digital infrastructure or proprietary systems. Revenue is generated on a transaction-fee and professional-services basis, with pricing not publicly disclosed. Its go-to-market is sales-led, relying on direct agency appointments with shipowners, charterers, and ship operators through long-term contracts and relationship-based engagement, supported by a stated global network of partner agents. The company is founder-owned with 11-50 employees, operates in the B2B segment, and holds an ESQR Award from the European Society for Quality Research.

CTR Sarl's primary customer segments are shipowners, charterers, and ship operators in the international tanker trade, with secondary exposure to energy sector cargoes (oil, gas, chemical). Its strategic positioning is anchored on physical presence across Gulf of Guinea ports, 24/7 availability, sector specialization in energy tankers, and a stated brand principle of reliability ('My word is my bond'). The company has no institutional investors, no parent company, no disclosed funding rounds, no subsidiaries, and no patent or trademark filings in the available data.

Name

CTR

Legal name

CTR Sarl

Website

https://ctrsarl.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CTR Sarl is a private West African maritime consignment agency providing ship agency, customs clearance, freight forwarding, and marine support services for oil, gas, and chemical tanker operators across ports in Benin, Togo, and Ghana.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Shipping Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Cash to Master (CTM) & Shipboard Cash Logistics (TLAHAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Ocean Freight Brokerage (FCL/LCL) (TLADAMAF)

Keywords

• Maritime agency services
• Ship agency operations
• Customs clearance services
• Freight forwarding logistics
• Port logistics services

Headquarters

HQ city

Tema

HQ country

Ghana

HQ region

Africa

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Maritime Agency Services: Core revenue stream from harbor assistance services for tankers (oil, gas, chemical carriers) including ship agency representation, protective agency services, and operational coordination at ports in Cotonou, Lomé, Tema, Takoradi, and Secondi.
2. Customs Clearance Services: Specialized customs clearance for Oil, Gas (LPG/LNG) and Chemical cargoes, handling all documentation and regulatory compliance for cargo entering or leaving Ghana operations.
3. Freight Forwarding: Customs clearing, import, export, and delivery services for cargo transportation.
4. Marine Support Services: Additional services including diving services, armed guards for vessels during STS or bunkering operations, crew changes, technical assistance, ship repairs, and dry docking coordination.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

CTR Sarl is a maritime consignment and logistics agency specializing in harbor assistance services for tankers (oil tankers, gas and chemical product carriers) across West African ports. The company provides ships agency representation, customs clearance for energy cargoes, freight forwarding, crew change management, technical assistance, diving services, and armed guards provision for vessels calling at ports in Cotonou, Lomé, Tema, Takoradi, and Secondi.

Product overview

CTR Sarl is a maritime consignment and logistics agency offering an integrated suite of port and shipping services. The company operates as a unified service portfolio centered on harbor assistance for tankers (oil, gas, and chemical carriers) across West African ports. Core offerings include ships agency services, customs clearance, freight forwarding, parcel delivery, crew change management, vessel chartering logistics, technical assistance (ship repairs, dry docking), marine support services, diving services, and armed guards provision for security during anchorage operations. The company does not offer a software platform or modular product architecture; rather, it provides coordinated service packages delivered through its network of independent offices in Cotonou (Benin), Lomé (Togo), and Tema/Takoradi (Ghana), available 24/7.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ships Agency Services Ship agency representation for vessels calling at Cotonou, Lome, Tema, Takoradi and Secondi ports, including protective agency for vessels and cargoes. Serves shipowners, charterers, and operators.
• Customs Clearance Specialized customs clearance services for Oil, Gas (LPG/LNG) and Chemical cargoes in Ghana, handling all paperwork requirements. Targets energy sector clients.
• Freight Forwarding Comprehensive freight forwarding services covering customs clearing, import, export, and delivery operations for cargo transportation.
• Crew Change Services Complete crew change management including OKTB and visa acquisition, transportation, hotel reservations, embarkation and disembarkation of sailors, and crew welfare services.
• Diving Services Professional diving services for underwater inspections and operations supporting vessel calls at West African ports.
• Armed Guards Provision Provision of armed guards on board vessels at anchorage during ship-to-ship or bunkering operations for security purposes.
• Technical Assistance at Tema Technical support services including ship repairs at berth and anchorage, dry docking, and generalized technical assistance at Tema port.
• Special Transport / Vessel Chartering Logistics Special transport services for vessel chartering logistics operations supporting charterers' operational needs.
• Parcel Delivery Cargo-to-consignee delivery services connecting cargo to final recipients.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Inchcape Shipping Services: Inchcape is a global port agency and maritime services provider serving shipowners and operators across key trade routes. It competes with CTR for vessel agency mandates in West Africa and offers similar protective agency and husbandry services.
• GAC (Gulf Agency Company): GAC is one of the world's largest ship agencies, providing vessel agency, husbandry, customs, and protective agency across 50+ countries. It directly competes with CTR in West African ports and shares the same shipowner/charterer customer base.
• Wilhelmsen Ship Service: Wilhelmsen Ship Service operates a global ship agency network including West Africa, offering port call services, husbandry, and maritime logistics that directly overlap CTR's ship agency and protective agency offerings.
• Transmed Shipping Services: Transmed provides vessel agency, port call, and protective agency services across the Mediterranean and Africa. It is directly comparable to CTR's hub-and-spoke port agency model serving tanker and bulk clients in regional ports.
• Weco Ship Agency: Weco is a regional ship agency with strong West African presence, providing husbandry, protective agency, and port call services for tankers. It competes head-to-head with CTR in the same ports and the same tanker-focused customer segment.

Broad incumbents

• Africa Global Logistics: Africa Global Logistics (formerly Bolloré Transport & Logistics) operates terminals, port concessions, and logistics services across West and Central Africa. While broader in scope, it overlaps with CTR's port-adjacent logistics and freight forwarding activities.
• Saybolt (Core Laboratories): Saybolt operates an inspection and cargo superintendence network in West African ports that overlaps with CTR's maritime services for oil, gas, and chemical cargoes. It is a broader incumbent rather than a direct ship-agency competitor.
• Maersk Logistics & Services: Maersk's logistics arm provides freight forwarding, customs, and end-to-end supply chain services in West Africa that compete with CTR's freight forwarding and customs clearance business lines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ctrsarl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ctr-sarl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CTR