Lekki Deep Seaport to begin operation in September, welcomes first cargo

The management of Lekki Deep Seaport has announced that it would begin full operation by September 2022 as work on the project has now reached a remarkable 91.86 per cent.

In a statement on the port’s Twitter handle, the Deep Seaport in Lagos welcomed its first cargo vessel, a marine vessel ‘Zhen Hua 28’ from Shanghai, China.

The statement read: “We continue to work closely with EPC Contractor, China Harbour Engineering LFTZ Enterprise & Project Management Consultants, Louis Berger International to ensure we stay on track for start of operations by September 22.”

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Port Authority, Mohammed Bello-Koko, who addressed journalists recently in Lagos, noted that the successful delivery of the vessel was a testament to the Federal Government’s readiness to place Nigeria on the list of countries with deep seaports across the world.

Bello-Koko said the vessel carried three Super Post Panamax Ship to Shore cranes and 10 Rubber Tyred Gantries.

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He said the delivery of the equipment was a demonstration of NPA readiness to take trade facilitation a notch higher, adding that the port was equipped to improve Nigeria’s fortunes in the maritime industry.

The NPA chief said: “For us at the Nigerian Ports Authority, the coming on stream of Lekki symbolises a lot of positives. Apart from being Nigeria’s first Deep Seaport, Lekki Port will also be the first fully automated port at take-off.

“This provides an insight into the path we are already toeing as a management team to govern the operationalization of not just the forthcoming Badagry, Ibom and Bonny Deep Seaports, but also of the reconstruction of the aged Tin-Can Port where work is set to commence once we secure the necessary approvals from the Federal Ministry of Transportation and Federal Executive Council respectively.”