Lekki Port said it has acquired modern cargo handling equipment worth close to $100 million.
The equipment includes ship-to-shore cranes, RTGs, empty handlers, terminal trucks and among others
They said the modern equipment has put the port at par with other ports in Dubai, Singapore and other modern seaports in the world.
Speaking at a media parley in Lagos on Wednesday, Kehinde Olubi-Neye, the chief commercial officer of Lekki Freeport terminal (LFT), said the port is well positioned to take any size of the vessel in the world.
He said a total of four vessels have called at the port since it commenced commercial operation this year.
“So, we are here to offer a service, to improve maritime trade. It is not to compete with other ports but to render a service to the Nigerian people and Nigeria trade,” he said.
He expressed confidence that with the acquisition of modern cargo handling equipment and support from the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the port will restore transship cargo which Nigeria lost years back.
“We had the opportunity of sitting with the Managing Director of NPA where he reiterated that the Lekki port should get this cargo back. NPA regulates prices and they are interested in ensuring this cargo comes back and we are sure they will provide us with the necessary support.
“We have the equipment and we have the draft to get it done. So, we are quite confident that we will get transship cargo back not just hinterland into landlocked countries but the opportunity is to explore transship cargo going into other regional ports within Africa,” he said.
He said truck turnaround time at the terminal is about 40 minutes, while cargo clearance from the port can be processed between five to 10 days.
He added that the port has completed a truck park that has the capacity to accommodate 150 trucks.
On cargo evacuation from the port, Olubi-Neye said the port operates an automated system that is linked to the automated gate with the vehicle booking system where truck drivers are required to book appointments in advance.
“This also supports the initiative of the Lagos State Government with regard to the comprehensive call-up system for the Lagos Free Zone, Lekki Port, Dangote Free Zone, Dangote Refinery and the Pinnacle Oil and Gas.
“We are in active discussions with the Lagos State Ministry of Transport and other stakeholders on the deployment of the call-up system for the Lekki area and we have confidence that the coming onboard of the call-up system for trucks will address any concerns that prospective port users would have over access to the port,” he said.
Beyond the road, he said that Lekki Port is also exploring the possibility of moving cargo by barges and has been able to execute more than five barge moves of over 900 twenty-foot equivalent units of containers (TEUs) from Lekki Port to the Ikorodu area of Lagos.
He commended the efforts of the Federal Government and Lagos State Government in constructing the roads, which he said has improved significantly.
Mohammed Bello-Koko, the managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), who was represented by Ikechukwu Onyemakara, described Lekki Port as a Nigerian project and assured that the NPA would do everything within its powers to grant necessary approvals and to provide marine services to the port.
Earlier, Yann Magarian, the chief executive officer of Lekki Freeport Terminal, said Lekki Port would shape the maritime economy of the country and called on Nigerians to embrace and promote the port.
