The Dala Inland Dry Port is gaining momentum and aims to significantly reduce congestion in Apapa and Tin Can Island ports both in Lagos as well as Port Harcourt and Onne ports in River State, Managing Director Ahmed Rabiu has said.
Located in Kano State, Dala Inland dry port was commissioned by President Muhammed Buhari on January 31, 2023 and commenced full operation in May 2023.
Speaking recently in Lagos, Rabiu said wth a holding capacity of 200, 000 twenty equivalent units TEUs, and with a Special Integrated Economic Zone, the Dala IDP is poised to provide relief to congested seaports in Lagos and Rivers State.
“The gridlock at Apapa particularly, and around Tin Can and all over the place is caused by the fact that there is over concentration of activities in one spot.
“Once a cargo is imported, it is required to go through customs clearance and security clearance and all the processes take time. A ship alone brings what about a thousand trucks will take. On account of that, everybody suffers delay.
“That is why it is important that once cargo is transferred to the dry port and the processes that are supposed to be done for customs clearance are done at the dry port, then everybody benefits from it, ” he said.
Rabiu acknowledges initial challenges typical of new ventures but expressed optimism about the port’s growing traction, particularly in exports.
He said the first export container was sealed and shipped directly from Kano in May 2024, demonstrating the port’s efficiency. By transferring cargo and processing them at inland hubs like Dala, Rabiu highlights a win-win for all stakeholders.
He said the port’s direct rail connection to APM Terminals in Lagos also offers a cost-effective and efficient alternative to road transport with no stops or toll points. “We have not been able to operate to the limit that we had projected.
Why? First because we are new and second there are a lot of teething problems that normally happen with a startup and novel outing so it was really very low, not to our satisfaction and not worthy of mention. But this year as we have started, things have started coming on stream in a great way and we are being patronized particularly for exportation.
“We are therefore very hopeful that in the course of the next three months, we are going to provide great relief to Apapa port, Tin Can Island port to Onne Port as cargo meant for our facility will be transferred without going through the process of custom clearance to our facility thereby decongesting the port and making life easy for everybody.
“We had a rail connection to the dry port. We are therefore on course. Everybody is enjoying that service because it is cheaper and more efficient. Importantly, there are no stops over or toll points so as the cargo lives on the train, there are no stops, ” he said, while speaking with Maritime Today online
