Cargo clearance from Lekki Port takes 5 to 10 days — Operator

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 five and 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 media parley by the management of Lekki Deep Sea Port, Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Limited (LPLEL), and the terminal operator, Lekki Freeport Terminal (LFT), held recently in Lagos.

Olubi-Neye 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 means of evacuating cargo from the port.

Also speaking during the media parley, the Chief Operating Officer Lekki Port, Laurence Smith, noted that the Lekki Port project remains a watershed in the history of maritime in Nigeria, urging stakeholders, including the media, to continue to lend their support by promoting it.

On his part, the representative of the Managing Director, Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Ikechukwu Onyemachara, who spoke at the event, said the NPA, as a shareholder and regulator, is proud to be associated with the project, assuring the Lekki Port team of its unwavering commitment to supporting the project.

Delivering the votes of thanks at the end of the parley, the Executive Director, Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Limited (LPLEL), Mrs Adesuwa Ladoja, described the Lekki Deep Sea Port as a project of pride not only for the promoters but for the government and the people of Nigeria.

The media parley was also attended by the representatives of all the regulators at the Port, including NPA, NEPZA, the Nigerian Customs Service, NDLEA, Nigeria Police, and DSS. All the government agencies present pledged their support and cooperation to the success of the Port.