NPA Receives First Vessel At $1.5bn Lekki Deep Seaport

Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Mohammed Bello Koko, has said the delivery of Super Post Panamax  Ship to Shore ,STS, Cranes and 10 Rubber Tyred Gantries at Lekki Deap Sea Port testified to the readiness for the commencement of the port.

He also said the port would be the first fully automated port at take-off.

Koko said this yesterday in Lagos when the marine vessels were delivered at the Lekki Deap Sea Port.

According to him,“the successful delivery today at the Lekki Deep Seaport of three Super Post Panamax state-of-the art Ship to Shore (STS) Cranes and 10 Rubber Tyred Gantries (RTG) is a testament to the unflinching commitment of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to providing the support necessary for placing Nigeria on the global list of countries with Deep Seaports.

“The successful delivery of these very important equipment which are critical for the Lekki Deep Seaport to commence operations before the end of the year 2022, is a demonstration of our readiness to take trade facilitation a notch higher.

This has been made possible by the tremendous backing of His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Ministry of  Transportation who have over the time played a key role from the initial construction stage and also granted fast tracked approval for this historic exercise. 

 “For us at the Nigerian Ports Authority the coming on stream of Lekki symbolizes a lot of positives. Apart from being Nigeria’s first Deep Seaport, Lekki Port will also be the first fully automated port at take-off. This provides an insight into the path we are already toeing as a management team to govern the operationalization of not just the forthcoming Badagry, Ibom and Bonny Deep Seaports, but also of the reconstruction of the aged Tin-Can Port, where work is set to commence once we secure the necessary approvals from the Federal Ministry of Transportation and FEC respectively.

“Automation remains the most veritable tool for assuring Port efficiency, and as most of us are aware, the NPA is working assiduously under the technical guidance of the International Maritime Organization to deploy the Port Community System (PCS), which will enable us respond squarely to the dictates of global trade facilitation and optimize the opportunities of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement to which Nigeria is signatory”.

The equipment was shipped by Zhen Hua 28, a heavy lift carrier, from Shanghai.

In this first phase, the port has a natural depth of 16.5 metres, Quay Length of 680 metres, Breakwater of 1.909 metres, two Container Berths and Marine Services Jetty to handle containers as well as liquid and dry bulk.

 The seaport is indeed equipped to improve Nigeria’s fortunes as far as maritime trade is concerned.