The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has said that a total of 86,609,903 metric tonnes of cargo were moved through the Nigerian ports indicating an increase of 12.64% over the 2013 figure of 76,886,997 metric tonnes.
Recall that cargo throughput is the total volume of cargo (inward and outward) handled in all the port locations during the period under review excluding crude oil terminals.
This was contained in a press release issued in Lagos at the weekend by the Assistant General Manager Public Affairs of NPA, Musa Iliya.
A breakdown of the figure showed that Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) shipment topped the figure with 21, 679,330 metric tonnes showing an increase of 12.1% over 19,341,663 metric tonnes in 2013. The Nigerian LNG according to the report has maintained its reputation as a reliable and secure supplier of LNG as it has been a major contributor to the continued growth of its shipmen and results posted in the last year under review.
The year under review also showed strong growth in the general cargo trade as it recorded 14,502,263 metric tonnes which represents an increase of 21.2% over 11,964,978 metric tons in 2013 while Dry Bulk stood at 9,843,199 metric tonnes showing an increase of 3.2% over 9,537,442 metric tonnes recorded in 2013.
According to the report,” Refined Petroleum was 20,736,699 metric tons an increase of 6.8% over 19,416,043 tons in 2013. Laden Container Throughput was 1,063,380 TEUs,which is a growth of 5.2% over 1,010,836 TEUs in 2013. Empty Container Throughput was 790,586n TEUs, an increase of 10.3% over 717,011 TEUs in 2013. This shows that Nigeria remains a significant hub of containerized goods in the West and Central Africa’.
“Crude oil Shipment stood at 107,880,239 metric tonnes indicating an increase of 0.2% over 107,686,011 metric tons in 2013”.
Meanwhile, a total of 5,541 oceans going vessels with a total Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) of 147,852,920 gross tons called at Nigeria ports in the year 2014..
A breakdown of the report indicated that in the period under review, Lagos Port Complex (LPC) recorded a Gross Registered Tonnage of 36,969,456 showing an increase of 7.2% over 34,466,291 gross tons achieved in the same period of 2013.
Tin Can Island Port recorded a gross registered tonnage of 50,011,289 indicating 17% increase over the corresponding period of 2013 which was 42,758,161 gross tons.
Calabar Port Complex recorded a total GRT of 4,085,903 showing an increase of 46.3% compared with 2,792,488 gross tons recorded in 2013 while Rivers Port Complex recorded a total gross registered tonnage of 7,304,591 representing 14.2% growth over 6,394,270 gross tons achieved in the corresponding period of 3013.
Onne Port Complex recorded a GRT of 41,854,687 reflecting an increase of 7.4% over 38,967,131 gross tons recorded in the corresponding period of 2013 whereas Delta Port Complex recorded 7,626,994 gross tons showing an increase of 21.1 % over the year 2013 figure of 6,295,995 gross tons.
“Analysis of the report above has also confirmed that most of the ports recorded increase in the Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) of vessels mainly due to the capital and maintenance dredging of the channels by our Joint Venture (JV) Companies, namely; the Lagos Channel Management (LCM) Company for the management of the Lagos Channel and the Bonny Channel Management (BCC) Company channels,for the management of the Bonny channel”, the report reads.
The Managing Director of NPA, Mallam Habib Abdullahi while reacting to the positive results posted in 2014 said that the authority was on course and to have achieved the success so far recorded, Management continued to pay attention to improving the existing port infrastructures in the areas of rehabilitation of the quay walls and aprons, deepening of the channels, upgrading of the common user facilities and wreck removal from the channels.
According to him,” the resultant effect is that the biggest vessel to call at any port in West Africa (WAFMAX) with a length overall 232.33 meters and capacity of 4,500 TEUs requiring draught of 13.5 meters has started visiting our ports due to our consistent dredging campaign”.
Abdullahi according to the report observed that the Federal Government under president Goodluck Jonathan has made considerable progress which had spread across every sector including the maritime sector and further shaped plans for the future.
