Nigerian Ports See Mass Cargo Boost

In a result that saw cargo throughput increase by around 12.6% from the 2013 figure, Nigeria’s ports handled 86.6 million tonnes of cargo in 2014 as a result of a significant boost in LNG shipments.

Nigeria recently unveiled plans to spend around US$3bn on new cargo-handling facilities in Nigeria, which would include the construction of three new 15-metre-deep berths under the Onne Port project.

The Onne Port complex has also seen other new developments in 2014, which included the introduction of a new e-payment system to allow Onne Port to streamline its operations by reducing ship turnaround times and cargo clearing.

The global ramifications of cargo handling and mega-ships can be seen across the US West Coast, where they have been described as ‘weightlifters on steroids’ and have prompted a competitive scramble between ports to develop infrastructure in a bid to handle these large increases in container volumes.

(Source: Intel Services)