The Government of Nigeria has signalled the start of the first freight movement on the Lagos-Ibadan rail route from one of the three standard gauge rail lines at APM Terminals (APMT) Apapa.
APMT Apapa is Nigeria’s sole container terminal with on-site rail link, providing a unique multi-modal access to the facility through road, barge, and rail.
Saidu Alkali, the Minister of Transportation, said: “The wagon freight train from Apapa port to Ibadan would move 90 containers daily, which would decongest the port and reduce demurrage for shippers.”
READ: APMT deploys 16 terminal trucks in Nigerian port
According to APMT, Apapa initially repaired the rail at the port in 2013, allowing containers to be transported through narrow gauge rail from Apapa port to Kano and Kaduna.
Connecting the port to the new Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail line saves money for consignors while relieving demand on the road network.
APM Terminals Lazaro Cardenas commenced a $140 million expansion in response to growing cross border (rail) volumes as a result of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) which entered into force on 1 July 2020.
This month, Maersk announced it will implement a new ocean-rail route connecting Central Asia’s ocean-rail to APMT Poti.
