By Kenneth Jukpor
The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman commissioned two new multimillion dollars state-of-the-art Mobile Harbor Cranes (MHCs) acquired by leading global terminal operator, APM Terminals, to boost service delivery at the Apapa port, Lagos.
The new cranes were acquired as part of APM Terminals’ additional investment of USD80 million (N33.6billion) for the year 2020, bringing the total investment by the company in Apapa since 2006 to USD438million (about N184billion), which is the highest by any private terminal operator in Nigeria.
While commending the management of APM Terminals for acquiring the new cranes today, Usman said the development underscores the reason the ports were concessioned by the Federal Government for efficiency and other developmental purposes.
The NPA boss said the Authority has continued to engage with private terminal operators at the ports to rise up to the challenge of the increased cargo traffic with modern equipment and innovation, noting that the commissioning of the two new Mobile Harbor Cranes, among others, were results of such engagementd.
“We are engaging with the Nigeria Customs Service to remove overtime containers from the port to free vital space for incoming cargo. We are also working with terminal operators to increase the barging of containers to take pressure off the roads. We have noted a significant growth in barging capacity and operations with more containers moved daily by barges from the port,” she said.
Speaking earlier, the Head of Terminals, Africa and Middle East region of APM Terminals, Mr. David Skov, noted that the company had invested USD358million (N150.36billion) in port infrastructure development, information technology upgrades and modern cargo handling equipment to improve both quayside and landside operations.
He said, “The additional investment we are making is to handle the increased trade volumes into Nigeria. Trade in Nigeria is growing due to the many favorable efforts and policies of the Federal government of Nigeria including but not limited to the policy on ease of doing business; stabilization of foreign exchange; closure of the land borders which has increased the use of our sea ports; and diversification of the economy.”
“The additional investments will create capacity to handle the growth in the economy to support the Federal government’s efforts on trade growth and improve service delivery across the logistics chain in Nigeria.”
He stated that with the acquisition of the new cranes, the terminal now operates with a total of 10 Mobile Harbour Cranes; 23 Rubber-Tyred Gantry Cranes; six Empty Handlers; 48 specialised Truck Terminals, six Reach Stackers and 11 Forklifts.
Also speaking, the President-General, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, who was represented by the Inion’s Deputy President-General, Comrade Tonye Harry, commended APM Terminals for the investment and for improving port services in Nigeria.
Other dignitaries at the crane commissioning ceremony include the Managing Director, APM Terminals Apapa, Mr. Martin Jacob; Executive Director, Marine and Operations of NPA, Mr. Onari Brown; the General Manager Marine and Operations, NPA, Captain Jerome Anyugwe; the General Manager, Monitoring and Regulatory Service, NPA, Mrs. Ugo Madubuike and NPA General Manager, Security, Surveyor Omotesho.
The Port Manager, Lagos Port Complex, NPA, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Olotu; and the Port Manager, Tin Can Island Port, Mr. Garba Umar, also graced the occasion.
