Following the public outcry over the delay in evacuation of empty containers leading to yard congestion at the APM Terminals, Apapa, Lagos, and in line with the commitment of its Managing Director, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho to ensure smooth port operations, free from every encumbrance, the Nigerian Ports’ Authority (NPA) has convened a crucial meeting comprising of the major shipping lines and the APM Terminals, to discuss the challenges and chart a way forward.
The General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, NPA, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara who disclosed this to newsmen in Lagos on Wednesday, informed that the meeting which held on 4th of June, 2025, at the instance of the Port Manager, Lagos Port Complex, Adebowale Lawal had in attendance major shipping lines including: Maersk Line, Hapag Lloyd, Pacific International Lines, PIL, CMA CGM, COSCO shipping and APM Terminals.
According to Onyemekara, all the shipping lines present during the meeting submitted that they had holding bays, which according to them, was a prerequisite for license renewal by the NPA. “They also posited that the NPA Headquarters’ Operations Team usually inspects those holding bays to ascertain their capacity before license renewal”, the GM said.
“While requesting all the shipping lines to submit a list detailing their holding bays, including locations and capacity, the Port Management emphasized the need to be involved in the examination of those holding bays so as to keep abreast of the potential operational challenges”, he added.
On the empty container capacity at the APM Terminals, Onyemekara quoted the shipping lines as saying that the Management of APMT usually communicates available free pools to each shipping line in order to guide their container movement.
He stated that the shipping lines also blamed the significant congestion during the period under review on a simultaneous gate closure to all the shipping lines by the management of APMT.
He however said that the APMT management insisted that the terminal reached its full capacity due to increased import and export volume arguing that there was a notable delay in the evacuation of both imports and exports by the shipping lines.
Speaking on the resolutions reached at the meeting, the NPA spokesman observed that it was resolved that the APMT should regularly communicate yard stock levels to the shipping lines to improve planning and coordination.
“It was also resolved that the notification period prior to terminal gate closure should be revised as follows: five days initial notice in advance; three days reminder before closure and one day final notice before closure.
“While it was further resolved that APMT was to engage off-dock terminals by moving import containers to off dock terminals in order to create more space within the terminal, the Port Management should actively participate in the inspection and assessment of holding bays to better understand and manage capacity and operational challenges.
“While all parties acknowledged their respective responsibilities, it was agreed that better communication, timely notification and strategic use of holding bays and bonded terminals were critical to alleviating pressure on terminal capacity”, he submitted.
He equally quoted the Port Manager, Lagos Port Complex, Adebowale Lawal as emphasizing the urgent need for enhanced coordination among terminal operators, shipping lines and the port management to address the growing challenges related to terminal congestion, especially due to the accumulation of empty containers.
Recall that there have been insinuations suggesting that APM Terminals Apapa is not receiving empty containers, allegedly contributing to yard congestion. However, the terminal operator has clarified that the management of empty container evacuation into the terminal and subsequent shipment onto vessels, is the exclusive responsibility of shipping lines, which own and control all containers.
Shipping Position Daily recalls that, in a statement recently, APM Terminals Apapa Terminal Manager, Steen Knudsen, said due to a sharp and sustained surge in import cargo volumes over recent weeks, shipping lines have had to prioritize discharging incoming laden containers over evacuating empties. This operational shift has resulted in a growing inventory of empty containers within the terminal, significantly limiting yard space.
“As a result of this accumulation, APM Terminals Apapa has had to temporarily restrict the reception of additional empty containers until the existing stock is cleared by the shipping lines”, Knudsen had said.
