The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Lagos port

  • Customs intercepts arms at Lagos port

    Customs intercepts arms at Lagos port

    •Ammunition hidden in two cars

    The Customs has intercepted arms and ammunition as well as military equipment hidden in two cars imported from United States (U.S.)
    The Customs Area Comptroller of Tin-Can island Comptroller Yusuf Bashar, stated this yesterday in Lagos.
    “We got a hint that there is a magazine in a used Toyota car 2004 model with Chassis No 2T1BR32E54C309841.
    “Customs officers isolated the vehicle to give it a thorough checking. We discovered 10 pieces of life rounds called Hornady ammunition with the magazine,’’ the controller said.
    Bashar said no suspect had been arrested because the seizures were just coming out of the vehicle.
    He said the seizures were isolated, adding that the command would conduct further investigation to discover the owner of the consignments.
    “We will hand over the items to the Department of State Security (DSS) for custody of the ammunition because they are too dangerous to be with unauthorised persons,“ NAN quotes Bashar as saying.
    The command also intercepted another container of used Nissan Armada , 2007 model, with container No- NSCEU718443\6 and Chassis No 5NIAA08A69N709779.
    Bashar said the vehicle contained Omini American Tactical Rifle No AR48634 and Moasberg American Pump Action with No U648018.
    He said in addition to these two rifles, it was discovered on examination, in the same container, 3,500 pieces of Premier Hollow point (Air Gun Pellets), and 4,000 pieces of Premier Hollow point (Air gun pellets).
    “We also discovered nine pieces of military bullets proof vests; one piece of helmet with rain proof, one pistol Punch, one Riffle Punch, a set of military gas masks, 26 packs of military already made foods and two pairs of military booths.
    “This is why we called reporters to inform them because it is about reporting the nation’ security.
    “We must do everything we can to safeguard Nigeria.
    “ If an individual is given Nigerian passports to travel abroad, while coming back home, some come back with unauthorised consignments, which will cause pains and havoc to the citizens.
    “ Instead of such persons bringing machines and other valuable things.
    “These items were found in a container of personal effects which government graciously says you should not pay duties and now, can you perceive the way some Nigerians reciprocate the gesture? “ NAN quotes Bashar as saying.
    The controller said a suspect was arrested in connection with the consignments containing military ammunition, adding that Customs officers had intercepted the container since Nov. 29 and examined it in Nov. 30.
    He said investigation of the container was ongoing to get more details and that was why the news conference was delayed.
    Bashar warned travellers who usually bring as personal effects ammunition and unwanted items to desist, adding that it was endangering the society.
    “These will be about the fifth interception of ammunition since I resumed office in January 2016.
    “We have discovered 900 pieces of live ammunition, 200 pieces of cocaine worth N2 billion, which we handed over to appropriate agency because we believe in inter-agency collaboration.
    “We have discovered some riffles with or without bullets, 300 pieces of military caps, some military camouflage and so many other equipment,“ Bashar told NAN.

  • Operator invests $350m in Lagos port

    APM Terminal has invested over $350 million on facilities at the Apapa, Lagos port. It has also received an award from the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) as the “Most Environmentally Conscious Port Operator” in Lagos region.

    The award, according to its Managing Director, Andrew Dawes, was in recognition of the terminal’s achievements in safety and operational best practices.

    Dawes said: “This achievement is made possible through the safety culture of personal responsibility which we practice and embrace, and through the personal commitment of our staff and business partners working together for a safe work place environment,” he said.

    On a company-wide basis, APM Terminals’ Lost-Time Incident Frequency (LTIF) rate declined from 2.53 in 2013 to 1.81 per million man-hours worked in 2014 across the APM Terminals Global Terminal Network, in facilities managed by APM Terminals. The APM Terminals Apapa LTIF rate for 2014 was 0.47 per million man-hours worked.

    He said: “APMT is the largest container facility serving Lagos. With a container throughput of 700,000 TEUs in 2014, APM Terminals Apapa is the busiest container terminal in the West African Region, handling 50 per cent of the nation’s inbound containers.”

    The company, according to him, invested $350 million in the port when it started its expansion programme in 2006.

    “It has resulted in doubling container volumes and increased productivity significantly, with waiting time for vessel berthing eliminated. Regular rail service, running three times per week to the inland cities of Kaduna, 730 km (455 miles) from Lagos, and Kano, 960 km (600 miles) distant, was also established in August 2013,” he said.

  • Lagos, Onne ports to host big vessels

    • 4,500Teu vessel for Onne tomorrow

    The Nigerian Ports Authority(NPA) has dredged the Lagos and Onne ports to accommodate big vessels, The Nation has learnt.

    The ports were dredged to between 13.5 and 14.3-metre depth from the former seven to nine-metre depth before the joint venture contract for their dredging was entered into by NPA and the dredging firms.

    The dredging may have started yielding results.

    Sources close to NPA told The Nation that a container vessel, West African Maximum (WAFMAX) with a capacity of 4,500 twenty-foot equivalent unit (Teu) will call at Onne Port tomorrow.

    The ship is 37.4 metres wide and 249 metres long. It is the largest vessel that can be be accomodated at West Africa’s major container ports.

    The vessel is the largest ship to visit the Eastern port.

    A source said the coming of WEFMAX to Onne shows the Bonny Channel has been dredged to accommodate big vessels.

    The source also said NPA had removed all shipwrecks on the Lagos and Bonny channels to boost operations.

    A dredging firm, Lagos Channel Management Limited (LCM), it was learnt, has a venture agreement with the NPA, in which the latter is the parent company with 60 per cent stake.

    LCM is responsible for the dredging and removal of certain shipwrecks along the Fairway Buoys. It also operates a marine operation centre where data is processed for port operations.

    Fairway Buoy covers the region from the entry point of the Atlantic Ocean into the Lagos Ports, Tin Can Port and Badagry.

    NPA’s Managing Director Mallam Habib Abdullahi confirmed that the WAFMAX vessel would call at Onne port tomorrow.

    “Not only are our navigational channels now safe and navigable, but they have also started attracting bigger vessels who thereto do not call on our shore.

    “It is in fulfillment of its commitment to Nigerian customers that Maersk line, operated by AP Moller Terminal (APMT), is bringing its WAFMAX vessel to call at Onne port on May 14 (tomorrow).

    “Already, all preparations are on top gear to receive the vessel and to ensure that its calling at Onne is safetly handled,” he said.

    Abdullahi said the benefits derivable from the economies of scale in the deployment of the vessels to the country is a prelude to the attainment of hub port status as enunciated in the transformation agenda of President Godluck Jonathan.