ar, Chinese-built deep seaport in Lagos, which is expected to ease
congestion at the country’s ports and help it become an African hub
for transhipment, handling cargoes in transit for other
destinations.
President Muhammadu Buhari, who inaugurated the port on Monday, has
made building infrastructure a key pillar of his government’s
economic policy and hopes this will help his ruling party win votes
during next month’s presidential election.
Many of Nigeria’s seaports, inherited from the British colonial
administration, are no longer functional or operate below capacity.
Currently, most commercial activity goes through the two in Lagos
and two others in and around Port Harcourt, the nation’s oil
capital, resulting in steady gridlock and logistics issues for
imports and exports.
Local newspaper Punch reported Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as
saying that “the size of vessels that will be coming here could be
up to four times the size of vessels that currently berth at Tin
Can and Apapa Ports [Lagos’s existing ports].”
The new Lekki Deep Sea Port is 75 percent owned by the China
Harbour Engineering Company and Singapore’s Tolaram Group, with the
balance shared between the Lagos state government and the Nigerian
Ports Authority.
Authorities have said the new port, built at a reported $1.5bn, is
one of the largest in West Africa.
“This is a transformative project, game changer project. This
project could create at least 200,000 jobs,” Chinese Ambassador to
Nigeria Cui Jianchun told Reuters after the port was commissioned
by Buhari.
China is among the largest bilateral lenders to Nigeria and has
funded rail, roads and power stations.
All set as Buhari inaugurates 1st deep sea port in
Lagos
..It ‘ll improve Nigeria port industry, promote int’l trade – CHEC
Chairman
By Olasunkanmi Akoni and Godfrey Bivbere
President Muhammadu Buhari will any moment officially commission
the $1.5 billion Lekki Deep Seaport, first in Nigeria
As at 1.40 pm, dignitaries, including diplomatic corps have stormed
the Lekki Deep Sea Port (06°25N 003°26E), venue of the
commissioning awaiting President Buhari who is also billed to
commission other iconic projects in Lagos.
Among the dignitaries in attendance include: Minister of
Information and Culture, Lai Muhammed, Managing Director, MD, of
Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA Mohammed Bello Koko, DirectorcGeneral
DG, NIMASA, Bashir Jamoh and Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers
Council, Emmanuel Jime, among others.
By its size and depth, the Lekki Deep Seaport is expected to be the
game changer in West and Central Africa.
Other projects slated for commissioning are the 18.75km six-lane
rigid-pavement Eleko Junction to Epe Expressway; the John Randle
Centre for Yoruba Culture and History; and the MRS Lubricant
Factory in Apapa
Buhari, on arrival with the Lagos State Governor, Bababjide
Sanwo-Olu, will be conducted round the port’s 1.5km long
main.
The seaport’s spanning over 600 meters, is enough for a vessel of
up to 16,000 standard containers (TEU). The approach channel is 11
km long.
The Lekki Deep Seaport made history last year as it received the
first-ever vessel (Zhen Hua 28) to berth at the port.
The port has three terminals: the container terminal, the liquid
terminal, and the dry bulk terminal.
According to the promoters, the container terminal has an initial
draft of 14 metres, with the potential for further dredging to 16.5
metres. The terminal is able to handle 2.5 million 20-foot standard
containers per year.
The deep-sea port of Lekki is the first port in Nigeria with
ship-to-shore cranes. It has three of these container gantry
cranes; they belong to the “Super-post-Panamax” group – this means
that they can reach and unload the rearmost row of containers even
if the container ship is wider than the Panama Canal (49m or 160ft
maximum boat beam).
The STS cranes have a fixed rail at the quayside. They can lift 65
tons in twin-lift mode, 50 tons in single-lift mode or 85 tons
under a hook.
The port’s computerised system will allow container identification
and clearance from the office, and human interaction will be
minimal in the physical operations
When phase 2 is completed, the deep sea port will have three liquid
berths. The liquid cargo terminal will handle vessels up to 45,000
DWT (dead weight tonnage) and can expand to reach a capacity of
160,000 DWT.
Liquids (like petrol or diesel) will be handled at a tank farm near
the port. The docking area is equipped with loading arms. It is
also connected by pipelines along the breakwater.
The bulk terminal with an available quay length of 300m can
accommodate a Panamax class vessel (75,000 DWT).
Goodwill messages
Meanwhile, Chairman of China Harbour Engineering Company, CHEC, the
project construction company,Tang Qiaoliang, said that the
completion and commencement of operation of Lekki Deep Sea Port
will improve the Nigerian port industry, easing the burden of cargo
shipment flow, creating employments, and ultimately promote
international trade in the nation.
Qiaoliang stated this at the official commissioning.
The CHEC Chairman explained that Lekki Port is the first deep sea
port in Nigeria, a major trade hub in West Africa.
According to him, “Lekki Port is the first deep sea port in
Nigeria, a major trade hub in West Africa. It will improve the
Nigerian port industry, easing the burden of cargo shipment flow,
creating employments, and ultimately promote international trade in
the nation.
“As an international top-tier engineering contractor, investment
operator, urban developer and ecological manager, CHEC insists to
its philosophy ‘value-orientation’, commits itself to upgrading of
‘platform plus industrial leading’strategy.
“With such strategy, we see the opportunity in Nigeria, and believe
in its potential.
“So we committed the adequate financial investments and essential
technology, together with Nigerians in the construction and
operation of the Port.
“Under the framework of the China Africa Forum and the Belt and
Road Initiative, we look forward to establishing long-term
strategic partnerships, in the infrastructure sector with the
Federal Government of Nigeria.
“This will ultimately deepen the relations and cooperation between
Nigeria and China, better serving the Nigerian people and its
economy,” he noted.
Similarly, Chairman Tolaram, Mohan Vaswani in his goodwill message,
commended both the State and Federal Government for their
Corporation and dedication to the çompletion of the project.
Vaswani thanked President Mohammadu Buhari for “for creating an
enabling environment for foreign investors to flourish in
Nigeria.
“I must thank everyone who has been with us through thick and thin,
Jending their support and encouraging us to make sure we deliver on
this project. This kept us going even when it seemed there was no
hope.
“Lagos State Government since the time of my good friend and
brother, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government, through successive
administrations up till the dynamic and hardworking Governor,
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has been with us forging a path together on
this iconic project.
“At the Federal level and the parastatals, we have enjoyed strong
cooperation from everyone.
“I also celebrate our partner, China Harbour Engineering Company
for committing resources to the project which was a turning point
for the project,” he noted.
Chairman Tolaram, Mr. Mohan Vaswani, in his address, said, “This
Port being completed and commissioned is an important milestone for
Tolaram and Nigeria and we are proud of our humble efforts to
develop a world-class port in Nigeria.
“This significant milestone will definitely increase the economic
well-being of Nigeria and its people and that is the
mostimportantthing.
“This journey started in 2003 or so, when President Olusegun
Obasanjo gave the approval for the port project to be developed.
The journey has been challenging with so many hurdies but with God
on our side, and the support of the President Buhari administration
we have persevered and today we all have something to be proud
of.
“Thank you Mr. President for creating an enabling environment for
foreign investors to flourish in Nigeria. I must thank everyone who
has been with us through thick and thin, lending their support and
encouraging us to make sure we deliver on this project. This kept
us going even when it seemed there was no hope.
“Lagos State Government since the time of my good friend and
brother, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government, through successive
administrations up till the dynamic and hardworking Mr. Governor,
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has been with us forging a path together on
this iconic project.”
Chairman Lekki Deep Sea Port
The chairman of Lekki Port, Mr Biodun Dabiri, had earlier said:
“From what I can see, in the next four to five years, the economy
of the Lekki environs would be worth $25 billion which translates
to N10 trillion – an investment amount almost similar to the whole
budget of Nigeria.
“I can tell you that if we focus on this axis alone, the ranking of
Lagos as one of the largest economies in Africa would be better; we
could move from the 4th to 3rd, 2nd and eventually Number 1.”
