The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is, more than ever, creating the enabling environment for key investors to boost vessel traffic to the Eastern Ports.
The Eastern Ports are Onne, Calabar , Warri and Rivers.
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola , strongly believe that to promote the ease and speed of doing business in the port, include the development of infrastructure which he said will positively impact cargo dwell time and win back huge revenues hitherto lost to terminal operators’ inability to meet their performance targets on account of inaccessibility to their lease areas due to bad road.
Chiefly among things done recently, is the recent facelift of the Phase 4B houses which is a significant portion of the untapped potentials of the Onne Port Complex.
The recent completion of the Road “D” which is the major arterial link to the new Berths 9, 10, 11 & 12 at Federal Ocean Terminal (FOT) and the vast expanse of reclaimed land already leased for port development is actually a link to growth in new business opportunities and increased revenue for the national economy.
The road stretches over a total of 4.8 Kilometres, covering two container terminals and caters to almost one thousand trucks daily is indicative of the Authority’s positioning for the growth, competitiveness and future-readiness.
In addition to the 250mm Thick Reinforced Concrete Road recently commissioned with it’s Median and Side Drain, including the High Mast Tower Lighting of the dual carriageway port access road of the Federal Ocean Terminal (FOT) Onne is geared towards driving cargo traffic to the ports
Cognizant of the fact that good road infrastructure requires a complement of sound marine craft and equipment, the Authority in addition to the Security Patrol Boats Commissioned by the Honorable Minister last month, procured six modern Mooring Boats to enhance the efficiency of our habour operations.
Mooring Boats enhance safety by assisting the berthing and un-berthing processes, enabling emergency response, vessel security and generally mitigating hazards associated harbor operations.
To enhance the security of the investments that will begin to sprout with the opening of this road, the Honourable Minister’s support is also required for the concrete fencing of the stretch of land to guard against unauthorized access.
Speaking during one of his tour to the Eastern Ports, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy stated that the road infrastructure constructed by the Nigerian Ports Authority and the marine crafts deployed is another testament to the commitment of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy under his watch are to maximize the entire gamut of opportunities in the nation’s maritime endowments, which he said is in line with the directives of His Excellency President Ahmed Bola Tinubu GCFR.
The Minister also noted that NPA is working tirelessly at deepening the efficiencies and full capacity utilization of the strategic advantages of Onne and other Port Complexes in the eastern axis.
He said it constitutes one of the tools the Authority is deploying in actualizing the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) assigned to NPA under the Presidential Performance Bond.
“We are now poised more than ever before to give the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) all the backing necessary to frontally address all factors resulting in the underutilization of these national assets” he stated.
He said one of his major focus is to provide the enabling atmosphere and deepening investor confidence to patronize the Eastern Ports of Onne, Rivers, Warri and Calabar is top on the Ministry’s agenda.
This, he said, is why he is delighted when he learnt that Onne and Calabar Port Complexes have met the requirements of the International Organization for Standardization and are thus ISO certified.
“This shows we are doing somethings right, but we cannot rest on our laurels until all other Ports are certified.
I have been briefed on the growth in numbers especially for exports emanating from Onne Port Complex, and I am impressed and poised to provide the facilitation and advocacy required to grow the vessel traffic to this important nucleus of growth,” he added.
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