By Steve Agbota
Onne Multipurpose Terminal (OMT) recently welcomed KOTA CEMPAKA, the largest container ship to operate in Nigeria’s eastern ports. This event is seen by stakeholders in the maritime sector as a catalyst for boosting the country’s non-oil export sector.
The vessel was received on its second visit recently by the officials of Nigerian Ports (NPA) and OMT, who spoke on the growing confidence in Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure and the capabilities of OMT. The Chief Operating Officer of OMT Onne, Jim Stewart, said that with a capacity to carry 6,600 TEUs, the ship signifies a major step towards handling increased cargo volumes and reducing logistics costs.
“We are excited that this very large container ship has been able to return for the second time in three months. This is a mark of confidence in Nigeria, in NPA and in the professionalism of the Onne Multipurpose Terminal. The arrival of such large vessels is part of a global trend where shipping lines are upscaling vessel sizes to achieve economies of scale and reduce transport costs for importers and exporters,” Stewart said.
Both the NPA and OMT expressed their commitment to supporting the growth of the maritime industry and facilitating trade, saying that the successful berthing and operation of such a large vessel highlights the progress made in developing the port’s infrastructure and capacity.
Stewart also commended the Managing Director of the NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho and the Port Manager of Onne Port Complex, for making the port channels navigable and for equipping the NPA harbours department to handle such large ships.
“We are proud of this milestone. We started operations only three years ago, and we are happy to contribute to reducing vessel waiting times in Onne Port while also doubling container capacity and enhancing competition to the benefit of all customers. We are investing in new equipment including more modern cranes to enable us handle even bigger vessels. We have also acquired trucks and lands for expansion,” he added.
Also speaking, Hussein Abdulrahmon, the Port Manager of Onne Port, who represented the Managing Director of NPA at the brief reception, said that as Nigeria strives to diversify its economy, the arrival of the KOTA CEMPAKA represents a positive development, demonstrating the country’s potential to become a major player in global trade. He commended OMT and other stakeholders for the successful berthing, discharging and loading of the vessel.