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Steve Agbota
The Lekki Deep Seaport located within the Lagos Free Trade Zone will generate about $158 billion direct revenue and induce business after its completion.
According to the Macro Economic Analysis Report, the Lekki port will have an aggregate impact of approximately $361 billion on Nigeria’s economy over the terms of concession, even as the project offers a multiplier effect of more than 230 times of the total cost.
Speaking during a media tour of the port, the Technical Director, Lekki Port, Steven Heukelom, 50 per cent of the breakwaters has reached an advanced stage of the construction with about one kilometre work done out of the full length of 1.9 kilometres projected.
Heukelom disclosed that after completion, the deep seaport would have three containers berth of 680 -metre long and 16.5-metre water depth, one liquid and one dry bulk terminals. He added that it would also have the capacity to berth large container ships of 18, 000 TEUs.
He added: “We will also dredge the channels. The channels will be around 11 kilometres long before we reach the natural depth of 16.5 metres and then we are good to go.
“In phase 2 in the future, when we will put the liquid jetties, the basin in the channel will be deepened to 19.5 metres. The maximum size of the container vessel that we can receive will be 18, 000 TEUs. So you can understand that having big ships like this in the port will be a game-changer.”
The Landside Infrastructure Manager of Lekki port, Kunle Fadunmoye, explained that 30, 000 X-blocks are being produced to reduce the wave impact along the breakwater.
He said, “There are three types of X-blocks, we have the three meter, two meter and the five meter. We are using sulphate resisting cement to build the X-blocks. “The breakwater is like an egg. It’s edge comprises of the X-blocks while the core consist of quarry rocks. We will be having the whole 50 hectares of Lekki port floor covered with interlocking blocks. Presently, we are doing what is called the Dynamic Compaction to increase the bearing capacity of the soil.
“The breakwater that we are building here will withstand serious wave impact. Aside the breakwater, we are also constructing the groyne to complement the work of the breakwater. The reakwater gives protection to the harbour areas from the sea waves.
Responding to concerns raised over provision for rail link to the port, Legal Counsel / Relationship Group Director, Adesuwa Ladoja, said plans are being made by the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Federal Ministry of Transportation in conjunction with the Lekki port management to connect the terminal to the rail.
