There are strong indications that one of the biggest container terminals in Lagos, Jakys Container Terminals, may be commissioned before the end of this month.
The multi-million naira container terminals located in Satellite town, Ojo, Lagos would also reduce the congestion witnessed in both Apapa and Tin-Can Island seaports.
Aside congestion, it is expected that by the time the container terminal come mainstream, it would also help to reduce gridlock experienced by port users on the Apapa and Tin Can Island Port access roads.
Jakys Nigeria Limited which is located along Kirikiri-Ojo water channel occupies about 32,000 Square metres and is expected to accommodate over 5000 containers and over 25 trucks loading at the same time.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) Jakys Nigeria Limited, Sir Henry Muogho, in a chat with our correspondent said the management has also concluded plans to site two more container terminals in Lagos and Ogun States respectively.
Muogho while conducting officials of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) on an inspection tour of the facility, said the terminal is over 95 percent completed
He said the strategic location of Jakys terminal in Ojo would aid the easy clearance of cargos by importers in Alaba and Trade fair markets.
Aside decongesting the Lagos Ports, he said, importers and exporters can now get their goods faster, instead of having them stay a day more and paying huge demurrage.
He said NPA and terminal operators have increasingly looked at the hinterland to support their core business, a strategy, which according to him, has often led to the setting of inland intermodal facilities.
He said such a strategy takes different form based upon market conditions i.e balance between imports and exports and the availability of land and infrastructure connecting a port with inland intermodal centers.
“Jakys container terminal strategically located along Kirikiri-Ojo water channel is few kilometers away from Alaba international market and trade Fair complex. These two markes are the biggest in the West Africa sub-region.
“Jakys container terminal is able to handle over 5000 containers at a go and we are targeting two more major terminal. Another one in Lagos and the second in Ogun state.
“With Lagos Ports accounting for about 80 percent of all the container cargos coming in to the country. Jakys is expected to handle about 100,000 TEU per year” he added.
From all indications, Jakys would handle import and export cargo from East and North which are conveyed by truck and rail.
The initial intermodal capacity of the facility is about 5,000 TEUs, but can be expanded through phases to a capacity above 100,000 TEU.
In its current setting, the terminal provides two major roads directly connected to the Mile 2 – Badagry expressway, placing it in an unique competitive position.
One of the key advantages of the facility is its direct connectivity to both the sea and road.
This distance is at the threshold of commercial competitiveness for rail services in future.
Presently, the terminal is accessed by barges from any of the port terminals, while trucks come in through the roads to evacuate the containers around Satellite Town, Lagos.
Sir Henry as he is fondly called, told journalists that the terminal was leased to Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC Shipping) and its logistics arm; Medlog with a lease agreement of 5years.
Speaking, he said “Here is going to be like a throuput jetty, no third party containers are allowed to come in here, as you can see, it is only MSC containers that we have here, this means there is also a call up system for trucks to come in here”
“We have an MoU with the community that made us to build the roads, this was part of the lease agreement with MSC and Medlog”
“Trucks that are coming here would not be parking on the road, therefore, the nuisance value that we have at other ports and terminals, I dont want to import them here”
“I also do not want to put the residents into confusion, that is why we say that there must be a call up system for trucks coming into the terminals, they come in numbers, when they are going back they go in tens”
“We have been carrying out partial operations for eight months now and there has been no complaints from the community. It is not a container depot as such, but a throuput terminal” he said
The Jakys Chief Executive Officer explained that the condition for liaising with Medlog and MSC Shipping was that first, they must have a truck park, and they already have it for all their trucks coming to pick cargoes at the terminal.
According to him “You cannot see any truck parked on the roads. And in the case of a truck breaking down, two hours were given to them to move the truck.
He described the project as a triple plan with holding bays and truck parks being within same vicinity.
He explained that there is a call-up system from the truck park around Trade Fair Complex along Badagry expressway to the bonded warehouse. There is also a call-up system between the jetty and the bonded warehouse.
“When the terminal becomes fully operational, the traffic volume on our roads would be reduced by not less than 50 per cent”
“While using the bridges as holding bay would no longer be happening as there would be no need for that any longer”
“On the other hand, when other companies do same thing, the gridlock would be totally eliminated, bridges saved, money spent by Government for road maintenance would reduce, and the suffering Nigerians are subjected to on a daily basis would be eliminated completely”
