Tank Farm ‘Craze’ Shifts to Calabar ….But, NPA Assures on Safety

Months after the Federal Government stopped further approval for tank farms to be built in Lagos, operators of the lucrative downstream oil sector have relocated to the serene Niger Delta city of Calabar.
At least 50 companies are currently seeking permission to build jetties from which they would operate tank farms in the city. At the moment, there are three operational tank farms in Calabar while four others that are situated within the Calabar Export Free Zone (EFZ) are expected to commence operation soon.
Disclosing this, recently in Calabar during a visit, managing director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mallam Abdusallam Mohammed assured the state governor, Senator Liyel Imoke of collaboration  so as to ensure that only companies which adhere strictly to safety standards are granted permission to operate tank farms in any jetty in Calabar.
The collaboration between the NPA and the State government is aimed at checking the emerging trend of the indiscriminate establishment of tank farms in several jetties without recourse to safety standards.
Receiving the Managing Director who paid him a courtesy call at the Government House recently, Senator Imoke reiterated that NPA  should work closely with the State government to ensure that only companies with the necessary fire and safety equipment are granted permit to operate such jetties and tank farms.
While attributing the demand for more tank farms in Calabar to the activities of the NNPC depot in the city, the Governor stressed that the proliferation of such   farms must be controlled, in order to ensure safety standard as well as check loss of revenue accruable from their operations by both the NPA and the State Government.
Senator Imoke stressed that the NPA has a significant role to play in the economic well-being and development of the state if all its maritime potentials were harnessed through the dredging of the Calabar River Channel.  He also sought greater cooperation with the Authority in the successful implementation of the Calabar Energy City Project.
In an interactive session with stakeholders, the Managing Director had pointed out that there was serious need for caution on the proliferation of tank farms in Calabar, because of the inherent.