To decongest the Lagos ports, the National Inland Waterways Authority is set to engage the services of Akewa Colmar Terminal Limited to move containers from Lagos ports to Onitsha River Port via Burutu Port in Delta State.
The move is also to ensure that Onitsha River Port functions optimally.
The General Manager, Corporate Affairs of NIWA, Jibril Darda, stated on Wednesday, on behalf of the Managing Director, Dr. George Muoghalu, that the idea of hauling containers via Burutu to Onitsha was to deliberately avoid the two small bridges of Gbarekolo and Bomadi.
The MD reiterated that the two bridges were too tiny and shallow for sea-moving badges or vessels to ply through, hence ACTL was considering the route from Lagos to Burutu then to Onitsha as final destination.
Muoghalu also disclosed that the agency was targeting about 1,000 containers to be hauled per trip from Lagos to Onitsha within four days.
He added that NIWA was engaging Nigerian Ports Authority and other stakeholders to facilitate the commencement of the cargo haulage.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of ACTL, Kenneth Donye, expressed readiness to partner with NIWA in carrying out this noble and historic trans-shipment from Lagos to Onitsha.
