Harboursandport.com: Lagos - The management of Lekki Deep Seaport said it is exploring the possibility of evacuating cargo from the port by oceangoing barges.

L-R: The National Coordinator of the Port Standing Task Team (PSTT), Mr. Moses Fadipe, Handing over the Nigerian Ports Process Manual (NPPM) to the Manager/HSE & Community Liaison Officer of Lekki Port, Adurayemi during a visit of the PSTT team to Lekki port recently.

The Manager/ HSE & Community Liaison Officer of Lekki Port, Adurayemi Ogundele who disclosed this while playing host to the leadership of the Port Standing Task Team, led by its National Coordinator, Mr. Moses Fadipe, said the need for the exploration of evacuation by barge is as a result of the ongoing road construction.

Ogundele explained that though they have already done some evacuation by barge in the past, they are presently in discussion with a company with oceangoing barges to move cargoes from the port.

He also noted that the management is considering the evacuation of cargo from the port in the nearest future by rail.

The visiting team of the PSTT and their Lekki Port counterpart in a group photograph after the meeting.

In his words, “We have been discussing with a company that has ocean-going barges, we have had one or two operations and it was quite satisfactory. The road constructions are currently ongoing while some have been completed.

He further noted that Lekki port was designed to be a trans-shipment hub for cargoes in West and Central Africa and that engagements are in top gear to bring this to reality.

“At the construction stage of this port, it is known that it would be a transshipment hub for the country.
There was a minute three weeks ago on the transshipment of cargoes, there have been some signified interests, and everything is in progress, the first of these meetings was held at our office at Victoria Island.
So, for trans-shipment, it is a work in progress, and at the end of the day, we would achieve our aim”

Speaking earlier, Mr. Fadipe called for the incorporation of the Nigerian Ports Process Manual, NPPM in the operation of Lekki Deepsea Port to ensure efficiency and effective services.

The PSTT boss stressed that it is important that the Standard Operating Procedure, SOP contained in the NPPM spells out the procedure for port operations in the country.

Recall that the outgone government had created the PSTT with its operational base at the Nigerian Shippers Council, NSC which doubles as the Port Economic Regulator, PER. The PSTT boss called for a space to be created for the team to operate from at Lekki port to ensure effective monitoring.

Fadipe noted that the area of interest for Lekki port includes, boarding of vessels by government agencies, cargo evacuation, and digitalisation of operation which reduces inter-personal contact. He further told his guest that the Federal government frowns at any form of corruption in the boarding of visiting vessels to the nation's ports.

He said the Task Team saved vessels demurrage to the tune of N5.4 billion through enforcement of its strict boarding processes. He also said that before the establishment of PSTT in the year 2020, Nigeria had 121 infractions on vessel boarding, and the vessel pays $20,000 every day for the delay; further noting that this has reduced to zero through the efforts of the Task Team.

According to him, “There is a need to control human elements and checkmate them, when the government agencies first board a vessel if there is no infraction, we expect them to be done between thirty minutes, if not, they must disembark and let us know why, not for them to just remain onboard.

“When Port Health officials are going onboard, it is for thirty minutes, while that is going on, we expect Immigration and Customs to be ready to board jointly, this is why NPA is mandated to provide the Joint Boarding Bus which would be used to convey officials from a place you are going to dedicate for us as a muster point.

“In tandem with ISPS Code, all agencies and officials must register their names as they are going onboard and the amount of time spent, the PSTT would be coming from time to time check if they are in order. If we see any infractions on the part of any agency, then you would walk into our net.

“For the joint boarding exercise, only two customs officers and three immigration officers are allowed, and they have a maximum of thirty minutes, if, for any reason they have to spend beyond that, they have to disembark. The idea is that vessel operations must not be delayed.