Over 100,000 metric tonnes of both dry and wet cargoes will be received at the Warri port, signalling sustained business activities in the area, which has remained unpatronised for some time mow.
Warri port appears to sustain the improved activity in July, as not less than 13 ships laden with over 100,000mt of various cargoes, including fuel, fish and glass are expected to berth there this month.
According to Nigerian Ports Authority data released on Wednesday, eight vessels carrying various goods are expected to hit the Warri port before the end of September, while five others are either awaiting berth at anchorage or Fairway Buoy.
Vessels billed for Warri port include 119-metre Gremi, loaded with 3,000mt of Butane, Cansandra with 600mt of tiles and glasses, Iver Action with 3,348mt of bitumen and Capela carrying 1,593mt of frozen fish.
NPA’s daily shipping position also showed that motor vessel, 182-metre Abiola, will be bringing 12,000mt of crude oil to Warri port; Ocean Gladiator is bringing 13,500mt of Premium Motor Spirit, while Matrix Ilu 15,000mt of PMS. A container vessel, UAL, is also expected to arrive Warri this month as well as St Nene laden with 10,000mt of Automotive Gas Oil commonly known as diesel.
Vessels awaiting berth at anchorage are 175-metre Remi, 183-metre Igbinosa and Biskra laden with crude oil and bitumen.
According to the NPA statistics, 130-metre Notus is awaiting berth at the Fairway Buoy with at least 7,100mt of PMS.
Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Usman, had said that reduction in sea piracy and security breaches in the Delta Ports area brought about the positive development.
Manager, Delta Ports, Simeon Okeke, said the NPA had done replacement of the critical buoys that were critically missing, rehabilitation of port facilities, illumination of the port, repossession and ejection of illegal occupants from the trailer park, among others.
“In no distant future, towage services would be efficiently handled, as same had been given to a third party. Efforts are at a conclusive stage for the company to begin work. Documentation and payment processes have also been improved upon by the management through e-payment, e-SEN and Revenue Invoicing Management System,” Okeke said.
However, some of the firms operating at the terminals expressed concern over the depth of the channels within the terminals, which had barred heavy vessels from berthing at the terminals.
They warned that unless the channel was dredged by at least nine metres, there would be low or no activity at the terminal.
General manager of one of the terminals, Henry Ajor, said, “If we are to lessen the maritime traffic in the Lagos ports by using the Warri port, the channel within the port must be dredged to handle bigger vessels. If we want to increase business in Warri, which is critical to Delta, we need to dredge the terminal, so that bigger vessels can come in.”
