African Circle boosts pollution control capacity with acquisition of six special trucks

Determined to ensure effective management of water pollution and waste generated by vessels calling Nigerian seaports, African Circle Pollution Management Limited (ACPML), operator of the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) waste reception facilities for ship generated waste and cargo residues at all Nigerian ports, has procured additional six new marine pollution trucks.

The six additional marine pollution (MARPOL) trucks were acquired to enhance African Circle’s waste management operations in the nation’s seaports. This, according to the company, will enable it fulfill its mandate as contained in the 25-year agreement it signed with the Federal Government on waste management in Nigerian ports.

ACPML uses specialised waste management trucks to take liquid waste, which include sludge and bilge from ships calling the seaports and it is in line with the provisions of the global apex maritime regulatory body, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) MARPOL 1972, 1973 and 1978 conventions.

At an unveiling ceremony held recently at NPA Administration Building in Tin-Can Island Port Lagos, Nike Shobowale, ACPML regional manager, West, said the six trucks were specifically built for the company to enable it fulfill its mandate as contained in the agreement it signed with the Federal Government. Shobowale, who disclosed that the company will soon take delivery of more trucks being built in Germany, also stated that the six received once were built and customised in Germany for ACPML.

David Omonibeke, executive director, Marine and Operations of NPA, who formally unveiled the six new trucks, expressed delight over the acquisition of the equipment, saying this was in line with the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

“NPA is supporting ACPML to ensure that Nigeria under the present administration of Jonathan fulfill her obligations as a key member of IMO. The Authority will not relent in ensuring that ACPML fulfill the provisions of the agreement it signed with the Federal Government,” according to Shobowale.

BusinessDay check reveals that ACPML has the mandate to provide waste reception facilities at the nation’s seaports in line with the guidelines of IMO, particularly marine pollution (MARPOL) 72, 73, and 78. This was sequel to the provisions of the agreement it signed with the Federal Government on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis.

African Circle’s oil waste treatment ‘G’ Force Plant located at Snake Island has a processing capacity of 150 tons per day, and it also has 400 KVA and 200 KVA generators that provide 24 hours electricity at the facility. It has also installed two high burn incinerators equipped with scrubbers to handle solid waste. A drum crushing machine with a special cleaning system is also in place to treat hazardous waste, while10 specially adapted garbage trucks were put in place in three other locations – Port Harcourt, Rivers State; Calabar, Cross River State, and Warri, Delta State.

The company also has a 1,000 tons capacity tank farm designed to safely hold hazardous waste while waiting processing at its facility at Snake Island. It has invested over 5 million Euros to procure four new vessels – MV Maizube 1, MV Maizube II, MV Bics and MV Etypou. It has also spent about $400,000 for special floating hose reels for the loading and evacuation of sludge from ships.

Industry close watchers believe that the completion of the technical commissioning of ACPML first oil waste treatment ‘G’ Force Plant at the Snake Island Integrated Free Zone, Lagos, will go a long way in stamping Nigeria’s feet firmly in the comity of maritime nations.

To them, provision of efficient waste reception facilities in Nigerian seaports would enhance Nigeria’s profile as a committed maritime nation. This is because apart from safety and security, IMO takes the issue of environment, particularly the prevention of marine pollution from ships calling at the ports, seriously.