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SHIPPERS COUNCIL BOARD TOURS APM TERMINALS AND CMA CGM…CALLS FOR CONTINUOUS STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT TO BOOST PORT DEVELOPMENT
By prince Benson Davies
The Chairman of the Governing Board of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), His Excellency Dr. Ibrahim Shehu Shema, has said continuous engagement with service providers will open doors for development in Nigeria’s ports and support the Federal Government’s goal of building a one trillion dollar economy.
Dr. Shema made the statement on Thursday when the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the NSC, Dr. Pius Akutah, led the Council’s Board and management on a courtesy visit to CMA CGM in Apapa, Lagos. He noted that service providers are pivotal to achieving the Federal Government’s economic targets.
The NSC Board Chairman urged port operators to prioritise and expedite clearance of power projects, warning that delays could hinder critical investments in Nigeria’s electricity sector. He stressed the importance of port efficiency in delivering port infrastructure and called on terminal operators to give priority to power generation, transmission and equipment distribution.
According to Shema, persistent bottlenecks in cargo clearance could undermine the Federal Government’s drive to improve power supply. He said strict adherence to project timelines depends largely on seamless logistics across the port system. He reiterated the need for stronger policy coordination to enhance collaboration across the value chain, adding that improved efficiency would boost trade volumes and government revenue.
The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the NSC, Dr. Pius Akutah, lauded the operators for ongoing modernisation efforts, which he said have improved cargo handling and vessel turnaround times.
According to him, export volumes are quite impressive as some operators now record growth of up to thirty percent. This, he said, is an indication that Nigeria is moving toward a more balanced trade mix. Dr. Akutah said the Board and Management of the NSC visited shipping companies and terminal operators to inspect and evaluate their performance in service delivery.
The Managing Director of CMA CGM, Hinelder Ferreira, said the operators are committed to efficient service delivery through digitalised processes.
The Managing Director of APM Terminals, Kamal Alhraishat, highlighted APMT’s long term investment strategy and attributed its milestones to digitalisation and operational upgrades.
