Easing logistics at Lagos ports

the linkage of the Lagos Ports of Apapa and Tin Can Island to the national rail network will ease the problem of logistics at the seaports, MUYIWA LUCAS writes

Relief may soon emerge from the Lagos ports, if the assurances of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) are anything to go by.

The NPA had announced that the China Civil Engineering Company (CCECC) had begun work on linking the Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports to the rail system. This is aside the declaring the authority’s readiness to launch its electronic call up system linking Lilypond and other trailer parks around the environ within the next 90 days.

Stakeholders have since received this as cheery news considering that it would have on their business operations at the Lagos, one of which is that implementing such initiatives would ensure smooth cargo evacuation from the ports.

At present, there are six seaports across the country- the Lagos Ports Complex, Apapa (LPC), Tin Can Island Port Complex, Onne Port Complex, Calabar Port Complex, Delta Port and Warri port. Only the LPC  is connected by rail for cargo evacuation to the hinterland.

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The Managing Director, NPA, Hadiza Bala-Usman, in a session with a broadcasting station, explained that the government was deploying multiple approaches towards easing the traffic congestion along the Apapa-Tin Can Island port axis. She maintained that there was the  need for a multimodal transport system, as no port can function well, if 90 per cent of its cargo is moved by road.

According to her, the utilisation of intermodal transport system in cargo evacuation cannot be overemphasised, noting that it is one reason why the Minister of Transportation has been vigorously pursuing the rail project.  “We must assiduously recognise the need for intermodal transportation system and that is why the minister of transport has been actively pursuing the rail project. Right now, the China Civil Engineering Company is working on linking the Tin Can Island and Apapa ports to its rail connection. That should be completed before the end of this year so that we can have a seamless port evacuation by rail,” she assured.

Bala-Usman further said the NPA  has concluded the  modalities for Lilypond terminal to engage and deploy e-call up system linking the lilypond trailer park with other trailer parks within the environ, assuring that this call up system should come into operation within the next three months.