The first cargo vessel sails into Lekki Deep Seaport, operations be in full throttle by September

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First vessel that sails into Lekki Deep Seaport

The Lekki Deep Seaport in Lagos has welcomed its first cargo vessel, a marine vessel ‘Zhen Hua 28’ from Shanghai, China.

The Lekki Deep Seaport management have also announced that work on the project site has reached 91.86 per cent.

The statement declared the management’s intention that, “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 the start of operations by September 22.”

Speaking to journalists on the maiden voyage to Lekki Deep Seaport, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Port Authority, NPA, Alhaji Mohammed Bello-Koko, said 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.
He expressed satisfaction with the delivery of the equipment saying it 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 helmsman enthused, “for us at the Nigerian Ports Authority, the coming on stream of Lekki symbolises a lot of positivities. Apart from being Nigeria’s first Deep Seaport, Lekki Port will also be the first fully automated port at take-off.

Mohammed Bello-Koko explained further that, “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.”

However, management of the deepsea port had earlier announced full operation at the port would commence on the 22nd September, 2022.