By Stephen Ubanna
Between 2015 and now, the West African Container Terminal, WCT, one of the leading Concessionaires at the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, controlled seaports with base at the Federal ocean Terminal, FOT, Onne Rivers state, had been investing in the acquisition of modern cargo handling equipment.
The Terminal Operation investment in sophisticated modern cargo handling equipment became pronounced in 2015, when it successfully berthed a 260 m Maersk gearless vessel with a Capacity to handle 4, 800 TEUs Since then, officials of WCT, have not looked back in committing funds to the acquisition of modern mobile Harbour cranes, terminal trucks and reach suckers, in order to facilitate the quick turn-around of such larger ocean –going vessels calling at the port.
. Take for instance, in 2019, alone, the Concessionaire, was said to have invested $14 million in the acquisition of such modern cargo Hnadling at the terminal, which could Compete with facilities at the major Container terminals in Lagos.
Noah Sheriff, the Commercial Manager of the Company had told industry stakeholders and the shipping Companies operating in the country that they have no cause to worry about taking their large size gearless vessels to WCT facility at Onne port . Sheriff had said, that with the Terminal efforts in acquiring modern mobile cranes, ‘’ it has been positioned to handle gearless vessels calling at its facility’’.
True to his words,When the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, under the close watch of Hajia Bala Usman, gave approval for a 300 meter Maersk Nigeria Limited, vessel, named Maersk Stadehorn, described as one of the largest gearless Container vessel in the fleet of the shipping Company to be taken to the Onne port, WCT facility, the company did not hesistate in in do so. Moreso, officials of WCT, when contacted about the decision, it never came to them as a surprise. This is because they were looking out to a time when NPA will divert such a larger Maerskline gearless vessel to their facility. It was therefore, not very surprising why they received with happiness when the Asian country of the Maersk Singapore Flagship vessel with a capacity , of about 10,000 TEUs was diverted to the WCT facility, at FOT, Onne.
Pundits were initially scared that the WCT, facility may not be able to handle the large size Maerskline gearless Container vessel. The a had their reason: Lack of facililities. They had expected Hajia Usman and her Management Team to first allow the Maerskline gearless vessels, regarged as one of the largest in the fleet of the International shipping Company to first sail to the Lagos port of Apapa or Tin can Island before sailing to the WCT facility to berth. They were, however, disappointed when information filtered out on Saturday, August 15, 2020, that the Maerskline gearlessthe vessel had successfully berthed at the WCT facility, onne port. Klaus Laursen, country Manager of Merskline in Nigeria, noted that the successful berthing of the vessel ‘’could not have been possible without the approval and support of NPA’’.
Jatto Adams, General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications of the Federal ministry of Transport agency said ‘’ it was part of the Hajia Usman led Management determination to improve patronage of the south eastern ports of Onne, , Delta port, Waarri and the port of Calabar, Cross river state’’.
Adams who had issued a Statement, concerning the successful berthing of the Maerskline Singaporean Flagship vessel disclosed with a capacity of about 10,000 TEUs, was an indication that ’’ the south eastern ports of Onne, Rivers port, Delta port, and the port of Calabar, are equipped ‘’to receive all manner of vessels and an expansion of the options of Consignees’’ . Note that shippers had made the Lagos ports of Apapa Tin can Island including Port Multi-services Terminal Limited, PTML, their first choice, thus neglecting the south eat ports.
Officialls of WCT believe that the decision of Hajia Usman and her Management Team to bring larger gearless ocean going vessels to berth in its facility is aligned with the Company’s phase 2 terminal upgrade project, which will see its number of mobile Habour cranes and other container handling equipment increased.
The Maerskline vessel was said to have been brought into the WCT , facility, from the Fairway Bouy , Bonny Island, with the support of three tugboats operated by NPA Pilots. The Container vessel was said to have been received by Alhassan Abubakar, the Onne Port Manager, amidst tears of joy.
Industry watchers believe that Maerskline officials may have agreed to NPA suggestions to allow the large ocean going vessel to sail to Onne port without first calling at the Lagos ports of Apapa and Tin can Island, to show that the south east ports have the capacity to handle such large gearless vessels without any operational problem. Okechukwu, Ibezi, a PortHarcout based Freight Forwarder who could not hide his joy said the direct Maerskline Container service to Onne port would help to decongest the Lagos ports which had been a source of problem to importers with their Clearing agents over the years.
Industry watchers fears that APM , Apapa, which is the leading Container port in Lagos, may have wake up, to match the speed of Onne port, or lose most of its Customers to the south east port of Onne, which had proved to be an alternative to Consignees.
Many believe that with the successful berthing of the Maerskline larger ocean going vessel at the Onne port, the WCT, officials, should expect to receive more of such larger gearless vessels at their facility as Hajia Usman, the NPA, Managing Director, was said to h to have sent a message of congratulations to the Abubakar led Management Team at the Onne port for a job well done. She was said to have also had a word of’’ appreciation to Industry stakeholders for their cooperation towards seeing to it that th Maersk gearlesse vessel berthed without any challenge’’ .
She may have gladdened the heart of the shipping Community when she assures of the agency Commitment ‘’to ensuring that the Lagos ports of Apapa, Tin-can Island, PTML and Kirikiri Lighter Terminal, phases I and II, including the south east ports’’ would work at optimum capacity’’ . According to the NPA , boss, the plan is to reposition the country seaports as’’ the hub in the West African sub-region’’.
