ECONOMIC DOWNTURN:

MD woos stakeholders’ for export boost, says 90% of containers left Nigeria empty

Apparently worried by the drop in its revenue as a result of serial drop in inward vessel traffic and consequent fail in cargo throughput, the Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, Malam Habib Abdullahi, has urged stakeholders in public and private sectors to support the Federal Government to diversify the nation’s economy through export to boost port operations.
A statement by the General Manager, Public Affairs Department of NPA, Capt. Iheanacho Ebubeogu, on Friday in Lagos, said that economic diversification would cushion the effects of the crash in global crude oil price.
Abdullahi said that generally, the level of operational activities at the ports in the first quarter of 2016 dropped significantly when compared with the same period of 2015.
In the first quarter of 2016, a total of 1,131 ocean-going vessels and crude oil tankers with a total Gross Tonnage (GT) of 59.4 million called at Nigerian Ports.
The statement added that, “In the period under review, Lagos Port Complex (LPC) recorded a Gross Tonnage of 8.1 million, showing a decrease of 11.5 per cent from 9.2 million tonnes achieved in 2015. A total of 296 vessels were handled in the period under review at the LPC”.
“Tin Can Island Port handled a total Gross Tonnage of 11.8 million, showing a decline of 1.2 per cent compared to Gross Tonnage of 12.2 million achieved in the corresponding quarter of 2015. A total of 417 vessels were handled at the Tin-Can Port in the period under review”.
“Calabar Port complex handled a total Gross Tonnage of 776,718, showing a decline of 15.4 per cent from 918, 237 gross tonnage recorded in 2015. A total of 46 vessels were handled in Calabar port this same period,’’ NPA said.
The statement noted that Rivers Port Complex recorded a total Gross Tonnage of 1.2 million, showing 14.2 per cent drop from 1.4 million Gross Tonnage recorded in the corresponding period of 2015. It explained that a total of 79 ocean-going vessels were handled within the period under review by the Rivers Port Complex.
“Onne Port complex recorded a Gross Tonnage of 9.8 million, reflecting a decrease of 13.4 per cent from 11,3 million Gross Tonnage recorded in the corresponding period of 2015 with 176 vessels handled within the period,’’ NPA said.
The statement added that the Delta Port Complex during the period under review recorded 1.7 million Gross Tonnage, showing an increase of 4.7 per cent over the 2015 figure of 1,6 million Gross Tonnage, with 117 vessels handled.
The NPA Chief Executive acknowledged that: “The Commodity analysis revealed that though all cargoes declined during the period under review; however, containers and general cargo traffic contributed significantly to the overall drop in cargo throughput.
“There is an urgent need to complement the efforts of NPA’s massive investments in infrastructural renewal and automation of our port operations, by generating enough export cargo to make up for the shortfall of imported cargo in our ports,’’ he said.
 “Crude Oil Terminals recorded Gross Tonnage of 25.7 million, indicating a decrease of 12.5 per cent from Gross Tonnage of 29.4 million recorded in 2015 with 221 tankers, ‘’ NPA added.
It noted that the cargo throughput recorded in the first quarter stood at 43.3 million tonnes, showing a decrease of 12.6 per cent from 49.6 million tonnes recorded in the same period of 2015.
The Cargo Throughput is the total volume of Cargo (inward and outward) handled in all the Port locations during this period.
According to the statement, an analysis of cargo throughput revealed “that General Cargo was 1.8 million tonnes, a decrease of 48.1 per cent from 3.6 million tonnes recorded in the corresponding period of 2015.
“Dry Bulk Cargo stood at 2.1 million tonnes as against 2.3 million tonnes achieved in 2015, indicating a drop of 5.6 per cent.
“Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) shipment was 5.07 million tonnes compared with 5.4 million tonnes recorded in first quarter of 2015, showing a drop of seven per cent.
“Refined Petroleum products stood at 5.03 million tonnes, showing a drop of 4.6 per cent from 2015 figure of 5.2 tonnes.
“Laden Container throughput was 194,304 TEUs, a decline of 12.6 per cent from 222,363 TEUs recorded in 2015,’’ NPA said in the statement.
The statement explained that Empty Container throughput was 123,427 TEUs, showing a drop of 19.5 per cent from 2015 figure of 153,366TEUs.
“Crude oil Shipment was 25.7 million tonnes, indicating a decrease of 12.5 per cent from 29.4 million recorded in 2015.
“A total of 27,133 units of vehicles were handled in the period under review, showing a decline of 10 per cent from the corresponding period of 2015 figure of 30,139 units.”
The NPA managing director however acknowledged that the drop in revenue could be attributed to the reduction in government expenditure (a laudable and broad plan of the government to rebuild the economy), the exchange rate volatility as well as global economic crisis.
To underscore NPA’s desire to encourage export, Abdullahi said that the NPA carried out an analysis of port capacity as a catalyst to economic development through export commodities, adding that the analysis revealed that about 90 per cent of container traffic left the shores of Nigeria empty.
According to him, this position was communicated to the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) by the NPA Management.
The managing director said that the NPA management highlighted the need to sensitise Nigerians on the need to fill the vacuum through export commodities, especially mining and agro-allied products.
Abdullahi said that an action plan had been initiated by the NPA by setting up interactive and follow-up sessions with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Headquarters in Abuja and Abuja Commodities & Exchange Commission.