Lekki Port: Our Concerns for Cargo Delivery, By Shippers’ Council CEO
L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Lekki Free Port Terminal, Denrick Moss; Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Emmanuel Jime; Managing Director, CMA CGM, Bocquillon Liger Belair Remi at the NSC Headquarters in Apapa, Lagos, on Tuesday.
The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Mr Emmanuel Jime, has expressed deep concerns over the state of cargo evacuation in Lekki deep seaport, Lagos, when it begins operation this year.
Expectations are that the seaport will be ready soon, between September and December this year.
Jime who received officials of the Lekki Freeport Terminal in his Apapa office said he was worried considering that the port was yet to be connected with rail line.
He said that what it means is that cargo delivery would be by road, a development that is likely to lead to serious gridlock in Lekki-Epe Expressway.
The NSC boss advised the promoters of the seaport to consider introducing other modes of transporting the goods out of the seaport before opening for business.
He said he would not want the Apapa congestion experience to be repeated in Lekki seaport.
Jime said, “We don’t want to replicate Apapa. Everybody believes we shouldn’t be moving in that direction. What are the things that needed to be in place? For now, the only mode of moving cargoes is the road that connects to the port. And if the road is the only mode, then we are heading to replication.
“ …Unless we have a rail network into that port, coupled with the barges, we are definitely going to have a situation where we will replicate what is obtainable in Apapa which I don’t think anybody would be happy about.”
The Chief Executive Officer, Lekki Free Port Terminal, Denrick Moos, had during the visit urged the NSC to be part of the effort to address the issue of cargo evacuation out of the new seaport.
Moos said this was the only way to avoid the Apapa experience.
According to him, “Our challenge is the evacuation of the cargoes. So, we need a proactive approach to make sure that we evacuate seamlessly, cargoes that would be imported into the country and to avoid added cost, which is sometimes prompted by the waiting time. And the solution is to construct a rail network that would link the port.”
Expectations are that the seaport will be ready soon, between September and December this year.
Jime who received officials of the Lekki Freeport Terminal in his Apapa office said he was worried considering that the port was yet to be connected with rail line.
He said that what it means is that cargo delivery would be by road, a development that is likely to lead to serious gridlock in Lekki-Epe Expressway.
The NSC boss advised the promoters of the seaport to consider introducing other modes of transporting the goods out of the seaport before opening for business.
He said he would not want the Apapa congestion experience to be repeated in Lekki seaport.
Jime said, “We don’t want to replicate Apapa. Everybody believes we shouldn’t be moving in that direction. What are the things that needed to be in place? For now, the only mode of moving cargoes is the road that connects to the port. And if the road is the only mode, then we are heading to replication.
“ …Unless we have a rail network into that port, coupled with the barges, we are definitely going to have a situation where we will replicate what is obtainable in Apapa which I don’t think anybody would be happy about.”
The Chief Executive Officer, Lekki Free Port Terminal, Denrick Moos, had during the visit urged the NSC to be part of the effort to address the issue of cargo evacuation out of the new seaport.
Moos said this was the only way to avoid the Apapa experience.
According to him, “Our challenge is the evacuation of the cargoes. So, we need a proactive approach to make sure that we evacuate seamlessly, cargoes that would be imported into the country and to avoid added cost, which is sometimes prompted by the waiting time. And the solution is to construct a rail network that would link the port.”
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