NPA Gets Approval For The Dredging Of $1.5bn Lekki Deep Seaport Channel From 16.5m To 17m, Targets 19meters
By Asuquo Nuwak
NPA Gets Approval For The Dredging Of $1.5bn Lekki Deep Seaport Channel From 16.5m To 17m, Targets 19meters
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, with the recommendation of the Nigerian Ports Authority, has gotten the approval for the dredging of the $1.5 billion Lekki Deep Seaport Channel from 16.5meters to 17meters, targets 19meters in the nearest future.
The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority NPA, Abubakar Dantsoho, disclosed this recently during his maiden visit to Lekki port, in company of senior management staff of the authority.
He urged Lekki port to consolidate transshipment volumes to landlocked neighbouring countries.
Abubakar Dantsoho, who said the rise in throughput volume at Lekki is exciting, also said Lekki’s capacity to berth super post-panamax vessels, deliver rapid cargo and vessel turnaround position is a game-changer for Nigeria’s export competitiveness, especially for agro-allied products, as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) gain traction.
During the maiden visit, Abubakar Dantsoho, announced that port’s efficiency is driving steady increases in transshipment numbers, meeting the maritime needs of neighboring countries and supporting NPA’s goal of achieving economies of scale.
In his speech, he said this enhanced competitiveness fuels demand, boosts foreign exchange inflows, and contributes significantly to Nigeria’s year-on-year trade surplus, while reinforcing the national economy.
He expressed great pleasure for the rising export figures and hope that the export volume is going to double and even triple in the nearest future. For this singular reason, he reaffirmed the commitment of NPA management to do what they can possibly do within their powers, with the support of the federal government, to ensure that this throughput trend, shown to them continues to grow and increase.
He said what they will do to ensure that this trend continues is centred on the approval for the dredging of the channel at Lekki port. He pointed out that dredging of Lekki port is something the authority have been discussing and working towards to achieve for almost two or three years.
He gave God the glory, as many years of discussion on the issue has finally come to fruition.
At the event, he said the authority have syndicated a strategic partnership agreement with
China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) to undertake the dredging in the overriding interest of trade facilitation,
enhance relationship and make partnership stronger in a concerted bid to grow Nigeria’s trade volumes.
In the area of automation, the Managing-Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Abubakar Dantsoho, said luckily for Lekki port, and most likely because the port is the most current and the latest port the authority have in Nigeria, it is expected naturally that all those things that are required for a modern port should be in Lekki port.
Abubakar Dantsoho, who said Lekki port is up to date with the technologies, also expressed happiness about this development.
For him, the technology in Lekki port will be part of the main requirements for the deployment of the port community system, which is a precursor for keying into the National Single Window.
He said the NPA management is hoping that other port locations and terminals will soon have100 percent capability in terms of technology deployment so that when the authority deploy the Port Community System, keying into it would not be an issue. He used the opportunity to really appreciate Lekki port, for having done well in the area of technology deployment.
In the area of channel survey, Abubakar Dantsoho, pointed out that contract has been awarded for the survey of the channel, which is a major requirement of the international port and harbour, and navigation systems, adding that this will give the authority more optimisation in the area of channel management around Lekki port.
In his response to Lekki port request for a reduction in ship dues, the Managing Director of NPA, told the Lekki port management that majority of the equipments bought by the authority to ensure efficiency at the ports are dollarised.
Still, navigational bouys, tug boats and others bought to ensure efficiency in port operations across the country are dolarised to lessen the burden of Lekki port payments to government.
He said, Lekki port should know that the authority need to have more money to buy more equipments and ensure that personnel who are running them are also well paid.
He assured that when the single window is finally deployed, 95 percent of port processes will become paperless, while the revenue at the ports will triple.
Meanwhile, electronic transaction will completely or near completely eliminate unreceipted payments in the ports.
In his words: “It is believed that when this happens, the authority will make more money. At that point, NPA will look at the possibility of bringing down the ship dues.”
The Managing Director of NPA also commended the Management of Lekki Deep Seaport for sustaining superior performance and remains unwavering in its commitment to providing every necessary support to optimize the port’s potential.
Earlier, the Managing- Director of Lekki Port, Wang Qiang presented several key requests for policy support to the Managing-Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA)
Wang Qiang is quoted as saying: “We wish to request for an adjustment of tariff structure to reflect service costs and inflation, reduction in “ship dues” specifically for large vessels and feeders, to enhance port competitiveness.
In addition to this, the Managing-Director of Lekki port, requested for provision of night pilotage services to enable 24/7 operations and improve vessel turnaround time, amongst others.
At the end of visit, the Managing-Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) also paid a visit to the $19.5bn Dangote Petrochemicals Refinery, and met Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote.
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