Cost of doing business to decline as 4,000TEU ship berths direct at Onne port 

as N29bn investment positions it for competitive trade

Eastern and Northern-based importers, who formerly journey to Lagos to take delivery of their consignments, have received some relief as large vessels with 4,000 Twenty Equivalent Unit (TEUs) capacity now calls Onne port, making it possible for the importers to save transport cost.

These shipping lines sail direct from different continents, particularly China, America and Europe to Onne, and this has had a direct impact on the cost of goods compared with previous time, when smaller vessels were used to bring cargoes to the port.

Martin Jacob, managing director, West Africa Container Terminal (WACT), says the Onne port is now more competitive with an average of three direct vessel calls per week from China, and this has grown by 22 percent year-on-year since 2011.

“This can be attributed to the visible investment and development being made in the terminal, which currently stands at the tune of N29 billion in the area of yard capacity, introduction of sophisticated cargo handling equipment and electronic solution for invoicing and payments, reducing vessel waiting time, dwell times and above all reducing the number of days for containers to arrive Nigerian markets from the origin of shipment,” he said.

According to him, WACT Onne is a one-stop-shop business environment that houses shipping lines and government agencies within the terminal to reduce travel time for customers and increase the ease of doing business in WACT.

“West Africa Container Terminal is determined to becoming the new hub of economic activities in Nigeria, being the gateway to major markets in Onitsha, Kano, Abuja, Nnewi, Enugu, Aba, Ogidi and Port Harcourt which will in-turn boost the nation’s economy. Hence, our resolve is to keep investing and increasing the competitiveness of the WACT so that larger ships can call the port directly and importers don’t have to travel hundreds thousands of miles to collect their goods when they can easily do that in Onne,” he said.