Lekki Port berths 75 vessels with 100,000 containers in 1 yr

ONE year after Lekki Port, Nigeria’s first deep seaport, commenced operations, it has received 75 vessels and handled over 100,000 containers, the management has said.

The port marked one year of official commencement of operations on April 1, 2024. Within this period, it facilitated over 25,000 transhipments of cargo destined for neighbouring West African countries.

According to a statement on its official X handle @ Lekkiport, the past year has been a remarkable journey for Lekki Deep Sea Port since the berthing of GSL Alice on 6th April 2023.

“We have welcomed 75 vessels, including the first Lng-powered vessel and the largest ship of 366 length overall (LOA) to enter Nigerian waters. We also embarked on transhipment in June 2023 with the arrival of the first transhipment vessel, the CMA CGM RIMBAUD. Since then, we have facilitated over 25,000 transhipments and counting.

“As the only deep seaport in Nigeria with the ability to handle 14,000 Twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) container vessels, we put our facilities to good use and have handled over 100,000 containers in the past one year, showcasing our capability to support global trade,” the management said.

They stated that the port created a 153-capacity pregate truck park that works with the vehicle booking system at the Lekki Port gate to avoid congestion and ensure efficiency as well as seamless traffic management.

“We have also deployed two non-intrusive scanners to be used by the Nigeria Customs Service to fast-track the process of cargo examination and evacuation to ensure safety and security of goods passing through gates.

“We are grateful for the support of the Nigerian Ports Authority who provided marine services and tug boats. Lekki Port will continue to deliver on its promise to serve as a transhipment hub in West Africa.”