The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman, commissioned two new mobile harbour cranes (MHCs) at Apapa Port, Lagos, this week.
The new cranes were acquired as part of APM Terminals’ additional investment of US$80 million (N33.6 billion) for the year 2020-2021, bringing the total investment by the company in Apapa since 2006 to US$438 million (about N184billion), which is the highest by any private terminal operator in Nigeria.
With the acquisition of the new cranes, the terminal now operates with a total of 10 MHC; 23 rubber-tyred gantry cranes; six empty handlers; 48 specialised terminal trucks, six reach stackers and 11 forklifts.
APM Terminals Apapa, which is located in Lagos is the biggest container terminal in West Africa and the best-equipped port terminal in Nigeria, according to APMT's announcement.
While commending the management of APM Terminals for acquiring the new cranes, Bala Usman said, as the ports become more efficient, efforts must be made to enhance cargo delivery processes and free the ports of longstanding cargo. “We are engaging with the Nigeria Customs Service to remove overtime containers from the port to free vital space for incoming cargo."
The NPA is also working with terminal operators to increase the barging of containers to take pressure off the roads. There has been a significant growth in barging capacity and operations with more containers moved daily by barges from the port, she added.
Head of Terminals, Africa and Middle East region of APM Terminals, David Skov, commented “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.”
APM Terminals Apapa took over operation of the Apapa container terminal in 2006 under the Federal Government’s port reform programme.
