Finally, MNM African shipping line berths in Nigerian port with 900 TEUs of containers
Determined to keep to the promise made to Nigerian importers and exporters, MNM African Shipping Line, an African privately-owned shipping line, which recently commenced operations, has finally called Nigerian seaport over the weekend with over 900 twenty equivalent units (TEUs) of containers including bulk and general cargoes.
MV SCL Angela vessel berthed at the Terminal ‘C’ of the Tin-Can Island Port, operated by Ports and Cargo Handling Service (PCHS), a subsidiary of Sifax Group. The vessel, which was on its maiden voyage in Nigeria from Europe, has Barcelona, Valencia, Sagunto, Tanger, Casablanca, Agadir, Dakar, Lagos, Tema and Abidjan as the designated seaports.
African shipping line, which recently flagged off its operations, has two vessels- Orient Spirit and MV SCL Angela in its fleet. Recall that Sifax Group recently announced that MNM shipping line, appointed two of its subsidiaries including Sifax Shipping Nigeria Limited and Sifax Ghana Limited as its official agents in both Nigeria and Ghana.
MNM African Shipping Line commenced its operations with the target to ensuring that African shippers have regular access to vessel that would meet their demand for efficient shipment of consignments from ports in Europe especially new market frontiers, said Phil Ofule, executive director, Administration of Sifax Group at the event marking the reception of MNM vessel in Lagos over the weekend.
Ofule, who disclosed that the company started discussions with other partners in the business months ago, also noted that Sifax has succeeded in changing the face of terminal operations in Nigeria since 2006, when it took over terminal ‘C’ of Tin-Can Island port.
“The calling of MNM African Shipping Line will help in reducing the cost of shipping for Nigerian importers due to the direct services offered by the shipping line from the designated ports in Europe to West African Ports,” said John Jerkins, managing director of PCHS.
He assured Nigerian importers of efficient service delivery as PCHS has the needed cargo handling equipment such as rubber gantry cranes (RTGs) and others to handle the volume of cargoes that would be brought in by the vessel.
Also speaking, Henry Ajor, general manager, shipping, who said that the vessel will be coming to the nation’s seaport every fortnightly, called on Nigerian shippers to support the Shipping line with their consignments especially the goods originating from the designated ports.
According to him, MNM is perfecting plans to extend its call to new destinations across the world as the business continues to grow.
While commending the efforts of Sifax Group in bringing MNM African Shipping Line into the country, Hassan Bello, executive secretary, Nigerian Shipper’s Council (NSC), assured the company of the Council’s support in making sure that the vessel’s participation in the nation’s shipping business becomes successful.
Bello, who was represented by Celina Ifediora, said that the coming in of MNM vessels into Nigerian port will help in boosting the nation’s import and export trade including the economy at large.
UZOAMAKA ANAGOR-Ewuzie