By BON PETERS, Port Harcourt

A Maritime Stakeholder and an ANLCA chieftain in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Okere Celestina Chinyere, Ph.D., has applauded the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho for creating an enabling environment that made it possible for the recent berthing of large container vessels to visit Seaports outside the Lagos State Area.

Dr Okere gave the commendation regarding the recent second port call of KOTA CEMPAKA – the largest container ship ever to carry out full operations at Nigeria’s Eastern ports.

The ship, which berthed at the Onne Multipurpose Terminal (OMT), made its second port call to Onne precisely on Monday 5th August 2024. KOTA CEMPAKA, owned by Pacific International Lines (PIL), is 300 metres long, has the capacity to carry 6,600 TEUs of containers.

The ship made Its maiden visit to the Onne Port on April 27, 2024, when it loaded and discharged over 2,000 containers full of Nigerian imports and exports.

The vessel was received on its historic second voyage on Monday August 5, 2024, by the officials of Nigerian Ports Authority and Onne Multipurpose Terminal.

Speaking on the development, Dr Okere lauded the management and staff of the Nigerian Ports Authority insisting that those of them in the Eastern corridor of the maritime industry are happy with the way the newly appointed Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority Dr Abubakar Dantsoho is opening up business channels outside the Lagos area adding that such would help bolster the maritime sub-sector of Nigerian economy especially in the Eastern Heartlands.

Dr Okere, the Chairman/CEO of Celefrank Nigeria Ltd, a Licensed customs Agent, Secretary Oil and Gas Free Zone chapter of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and the incumbent Zonal Secretary Eastern Zone of ANLCA said with such feat, the youth unemployment and restiveness would reduce, even as the government revenue profile would be on the increase while the host communities would benefit through the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of Onne Multipurpose Terminal OMT and Nigerian Ports Authority.

On the appointment of Dr Abubakar Dantsoho at the helm of affairs of NPA, she said that Nigerian Ports Authority has gotten it right by appointing somebody who grew from the ranks of Nigerian Ports Authority instead of what she described as “an outsider.”

“The new NPA MD, is a through breed technocrat, he knows the in an out of Nigerian Ports Authority and we once worked with him, here at Onne, Port. With his wealth of experience and expertise, NPA will witness growth in not only revenue generation and infrastructural development but also in human capital development including collaboration among the stakeholders “ She said.

Recall, that the Chief Operating Officer of OMT Onne, Jim Stewart, has expressed gratitude and satisfaction to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for ensuring that the vessel was able to berth successfully.

Stewart said the visit of KOTA CEMPAKA to Nigeria will support the efforts of the Federal Government to diversify the country’s economic base by boosting non-oil exports. He also stated that, vessel’s visit would generate more revenue into the coffers of the government.

“Again, we are excited that this very large container ship has been able to return for the second time in three months. This is a mark of confidence in Nigeria, in Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and in the professionalism of the Onne Multipurpose Terminal.

“The arrival of such large vessels is part of a global trend where shipping lines are upscaling vessel sizes to achieve economies of scale and reduce transport costs for importers and exporters,” Stewart said.

The OMT Chief Operating Officer also commended the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho and the Port Manager of Onne Port Complex, for making the port channels navigable and for equipping the NPA harbours department to handle such large ships.

“We are proud of this milestone. We started operations only three years ago, and we are happy to contribute to reducing vessel waiting times in Onne Port while also doubling container capacity and enhancing competition to the benefit of all customers.

“We are investing in new equipment including more modern cranes to enable us handle even bigger vessels. We have also acquired trucks and lands for expansion,” he added.

Also speaking, Hussein Abdulrahmon, the Port Manager of Onne Port, who represented the Managing Director of NPA at the brief reception for the container ship, said KOTA CEMPAKA brought in more cargoes on the second voyage to the port than it did during its first call.

He commended OMT and other stakeholders for the successful berthing, discharging and loading of the vessel.

Onne Multipurpose Terminal (OMT) handles containerized, oil and gas, and other cargo types. It is the first terminal of call at the Onne Port Complex, located in Onne’s Oil and Gas Free Zone, and is an efficient gateway to Africa’s largest oil production region and Nigeria’s major hinterland markets.

The sprawling Onne Port Complex – one of the world’s largest Oil and Gas Free Zones – robustly serves both onshore and offshore activities, while providing efficient access to oil fields in West Africa and the Sub-Saharan region.

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