Vanguard, Wednesday, December 9, 2020 Page 19.
Going by the information from regulator sea-side congestion at some of the terminals in the port in Lagos have dropped to 20 percentfrom 30 per cent in the recent week.
The Executive Secretary/ Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council Mr. Hassan Bello, who dropped this hint while speaking at courtesy visit to CMA, CGM and MSC shipping lines, explained that 20 percent of cargoes in and out of the port in Lagos presently are being handed by barge operators.
He started that reduction is as a result of efforts to simplify port operation through automation while also attributing the positive development in congestion situation to the movement of cargoes by barges to and from the ports.
He noted that the federal government is deliberately working at ensuring that the present traffic situation is eased with linking Apapa port by rail.
‘’According to him the Federal Government is right now constructing rail link Apapa port, so rail evacuates most of the cargoes which will give the truckers a run for their money. Then the barge operation has helped in no small measure that is why we have about 20 percent sea-side congestion. We know that the people are complaining but this is the time of construction please bear with us if you want things to go right’’
Managing Director of MSC shipping, Andrew Lynch said that the company is favorably disposed to automation of this operators but however noted that some stakeholders actually resist its application.
