Terminal operator seeks more tug boats at ports

THE Managing Director of Apapa Bulk Terminal, Captain Mohammed Bashir, has identified inadequate tugboats to move vessels into harbour as a major challenge confronting seaports terminals in Lagos.

Receiving the new General Manager, Western Port, Chief Michael Ajayi to his office, Bahir explained that the deployment of more tugboats would enhance operation’s activities and by extension more revenue for the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

Bashir, who also commended NPA for the growth recorded in the past few years said:“We need more tugboats. It is a major challenge to us.

The insufficient number of tugboats is costing us to lose a lot of man-hours in our operations”. Explaining further, Bahir said:“For every hour’s delay, it costs us $1000.

Last year (2014), we lost 300 hours because there were insufficient tugboats.  If there are more tugboats, this would help us make more money and generate more revenue for the NPA through increased cargo throughput.”

Speaking on access to the port, Bashir appealed to the new General Manager to use his office to facilitate and address the state of the port access roads.

He said: “The access road should be taken care of because containers are falling down on those bad roads everyday. Responding, Ajayi pledged to meet with the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to map out measures on how to tackle the challenges associated energy and access into the ports.

According to Ajayi, the Federal Government was doing every thing possible to tackle Apapa gridlock and other problems associated with it.

Already, Ajayi has scheduled to meet with representative of FERMA to workout modalities on “immediate palliative measures” to adopt in the interest of all stakeholders and the nation’s economy.

Inspecting some failed sections along the ports’ access roads,  Ajayi said the Federal Government is determined to find a lasting solution to the chaotic traffic situation along the axis.

At the Greenview Development Limited (GDNL), the Managing Director, Alhaji Abba  Bukar, said no port could exist without trucks. “We need to create a truck transit park for the trucks to park and leave the roads”. He added that “loaded trucks are seen parking on the roads, NPA should do something about it”.