By Adaku Onyenucheya
The Managing Director of Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Limited (LPLEL), Mr. Du Ruogang, has disclosed the Lekki deep port will facilitate trade volume growth for Nigeria and increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as part of the macro-economic benefits of the port to the economy.
Ruogang stated this while addressing the media during the official commissioning of the port by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Lagos Free Zone, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos.
He noted that Lekki port would redefine maritime activities in Nigeria and West Africa and it’s scheduled to commence operations by the end of first quarter of 2023.
He highlighted other benefits to include, improvement of external trade competitiveness through improved port efficiency, cost-effective port operations and services, improved turnaround time for cargo handling and clearance.
Others, he stated are, reduction in delays in the supply of raw materials and equipment as well as reduced costs of imports and charges such as demurrage, among others.
Ruogang said with Lekki port, Nigeria is going to witness a growth in maritime traffic and global trade as well as strengthen connectivity and capability to provide efficient and reliable services.
He said it will also be a critical engine driving the Nigerian economy upon commencement of operations.
“I am equally confident that it would help to reinforce Nigeria’s status as a regional maritime hub and enable many related industries to flourish,” he said.
The Chief Executive Officer, Lekki Freeport Terminal, Mr. Denrick Moos, said in addition to the state-of-the-art infrastructures, Lekki port will become a new generation container terminal, a game changing infrastructure in Nigeria and West Africa.
He said the port is equipped with 13 quay cranes for a capacity of 2.5 million TEUs (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units) on a 1.2 kilometre quay with a depth of 16 meters.
Moos said the port would operate vessels with a capacity of up to 15,000 TEUs and become one of the largest in West Africa.
He said through the new container terminal at Lekki port, the CMA CGM group will further develop its presence in Nigeria, which is the most important consumer market in West Africa and will consolidate its African global shipping and logistics network.
Moos said, the CMA CGM Group, which is committed to supporting its customers’ supply chains in Nigeria and West Africa with a comprehensive range of shipping and logistics solutions, will also participate in strengthening the region’s logistics and ports infrastructures through significant investments as a global port operator with its subsidiary CMA Terminals.
On his part, the Chairman of Lekki Port, Mr. Biodun Dabiri, expressed profound gratitude to the President and his team for giving all the necessary backing that ensured the project came to fruition.
He stressed that the management of the port is working round-the-clock to get the port operational soon.
Source: The Guardian
