'Cargo clearance from Lekki Port takes 5 to 10 days’
Lagos -- The container terminal operator for the Lekki Deep Sea
Port- Lekki Freeport Terminal, a subsidiary of the CMA/CGM Group, has assured shippers of a faster turnaround time for the clearance of goods from the port, stating that it will take between 5 to 10 days, which is fastest compared to what is currently obtainable in existing ports across the country.
The Chief Commercial Officer, Lekki Freeport Terminal, Mr. Kehinde Olubi-Neye, disclosed this during a joint stakeholders' meeting hosted by the management of Lekki Deep Sea Port- Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Limited, LPLEL, and the terminal operator-Lekki Freeport Terminal, LFT, at the port, OlubiNeye explained that the project's promoters have made significant investments in the automation of the processes to ensure that the needless delays associated with existing ports are drastically reduced.
According to him, the automation process at the port is linked to the automated gate to allow for a vehicle booking system where truck drivers are required to book appointments in advance. He revealed that the port has completed the construction of a truck park with the capacity to accommodate 150 trucks at a time.
He hinted further that Lekki Port is presently exploring the option of barge operation as a means of evacuation of cargo from the port. “We have executed significant barge moves between Ikorodu and Kirikiri. We have done over five barge moves totalling 900 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units of containers (TEUs). We also believe this would allow Lekki Port to play a role in cargo uptake using Eastern ports of Calabar, Onitsha, and Warri,” he added.
Similarly, the Chief Operating Officer, Lekki Port, Laurence Smith, noted that the Lekki Port project remains a watershed in the history of maritime industry in Nigeria, urging stakeholders, including the media, to continue to lend their support by promoting it.