The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has received a 12 metres draft vessel; MV Lady Jane laden with 295 metres, at the Onne port in Rivers state.
The container carrier berthed at the West African Container Terminal at Federal Ocean Terminal (FOT) in the port on Wednesday, to a warm reception by the port management.
In a statement issued on Wednesday at Onne, the Managing Director, NPA, Mohammed Bello-Koko, who was represented at the event by the Onne Port Manager, Mr Stanley Yitnoe, said the berthing of the vessels showed the commitment of the NPA in repositioning the eastern ports towards productivity.
In the statement that was signed by head of corporate and strategic communications of Onne port; Mrs Barbra Ejemeh Nchey-Achukwu, the NPA Managing Director; Mr Mohammed Bello Koko was quoted as saying that: “What this milestone signposts is the fact the initiatives of the authority geared towards repositioning the eastern ports for productivity are yielding results and that Onne Port Complex is fast becoming an attraction for container vessel traffic. However, we cannot afford to rest on our laurels; we must continually strive to surpass stakeholders’ expectations”
He also commended the sailors for the professionalism demonstrated in the effortless and safe berthing of the vessel.
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Bello assured them that in addition to the palliative works that had already begun on the arterial roads in Onne Port, full-scale rehabilitation of infrastructure, as well as improvement of port security through illumination and deployment of access control to check unauthorised entry, was top on management priority.
He noted that, the coming of Lady Jane as the 2nd largest vessel to Nigeria and Onne port in particular is significant, in that it indicates the sustenance of container growth in the Port and the growing preference of the Port as a Port of choice and then future in Nigeria.
The Lady Jane is discharging 840 TEUs and loading 1060 TEUs, out of which 389 are laden export, half of which are agricultural produce comprising cashew nuts, sesame seeds, Casia tor seeds and mineral ores.
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