By Godfrey Bivbere

NIGERIA’s indigenous terminal operator, Ports and Cargo, operators of terminal C at the Tin-can Island port, Monday commissioned cargo handling equipment valued at over €20 million (N7.2 billion).

The equipment commissioned includes five shore cranes, nine Reach Stackers, 10 terminal tractors, five Nissan pickup vehicles, four trailer backs and other types of machinery.

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Speaking at the commissioning, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman, said the investment by Ports Na Cargo will add value to port operations in the country.

The NPA boss who was represented by Aisha Ibrahim, who expressed happiness at the acquisition of the equipment, noting that the success in port operations is related to equipment.

In her words: “This investment adds value to our operations. NPA is happy to see such development because port operations are about equipment.”

Group Managing Director of the parent body of Ports and Cargo, Sifax Group, Adekunle Oyinloye, said because the company believes in want they do, they have decided to continue investing in infrastructure despite the concession agreement coming close to an end.

Oyinloye expresses hope that the gridlock will be minimised to optimise port operations. He noted that without the road infrastructure, port operations cannot be effective and efficient.

In his words: “With our new internal restructuring project code-named Quantum Leap, SIFAX Group is repositioning itself to become the first choice terminal not just in Nigeria but in West Africa. We have also set a target that will increase our revenue by over 300 per cent in five years.

One of the ways, we can achieve our set targets is to first begin with investment in equipment which will complement our excellent personnel asset.

These new equipment are the best and latest in town, they will catapult us into the next level growth we are working towards”, he noted.

Managing Director of Ports and Cargo, John Jenkins, said that the company has invested about €20 million to improve operations at the terminal. Jenkins said there was a need to acquire the latest equipment in order to meet the architecture requirements of modern ship calling the terminal.

He noted further that the company was already engaging several shipping lines in order to boost the company’s clientele base.

Liebherr Group’s Sales Manager, Africa, Norman Herzberg, said his company was delighted to be a partner in the supply of some of these equipment. He noted that the newly-acquired mobile shore cranes LHM 500 were the latest technologies with wider reach into the vessels and can discharge faster effectively and efficiently.

Vanguard