By Ezra Ukanwa

The Federal Government has said one hundred per cent scanning of cargoes, rather than physical inspection, would soon be implemented within the Nigerian ports.

It also disclosed plans to upgrade cargo scanning from the present status of 25 per cent to 100 percent by procuring four additional scanners, against the current one in existence, noting that the move would bolster the effectiveness and efficiency of operations.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Marine, and Blue Economy, Olufemi Oloruntola, who disclosed this when he received in audience the chief executive officer of the APM terminals in Abuja, assured the management team of APM terminals that the present administration was ready to tinker with port operations to realise the N10 trillion projection for the sector.

Speaking earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of APM Terminals, Nigeria, Frederik Klinke, revealed that the company had its largest terminal operations concentrated at Onne Ports in River State, having invested $110 million and hoping to have a similar one in Apapa, Lagos Ports.

He also disclosed that the company operates the Inland Dry Port in Kano.

Klinke, who came in company of the General Manager, Legal and Corporate Affairs of APM Terminals, Chinenye Mirian Deinde, said Nigeria was at a critical junction in terms of developing the logistics of its ports’ operations.

He added that the country also needed to develop its supply chains to support economic growth and, in particular, to realise the $1 trillion target it ascribed to the marine economy.

He further pleaded with the permanent secretary to allow APM terminals be much more involved, saying “we hope to invest more in the scanners in a way that is economically sustainable, as right now, what is on the ground is just 25 percent of what is required.”

He recommended that at Onne Port, the federal ministry of transport/marine and blue economy considered it urgent to link rail connections to the terminal operations.

Meanwhile, Frederik Klinke has requested that the minister of marine and blue economy and the permanent secretary be part of the commissioning of the total investment APM terminal had programmed to come up in May, 2024, at Onne.

He asked that the government considered the interest of APMT, which had terminal and shipping interests in Badagry Port, revealing also that  APMT had already opened dialogue with the Badagry Port Development Company, which is planning the Badagry Port, and which APMT saw as suppliment to Lagos Port complex.