By Correspondent in Lagos.
Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho.
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has convened a high-level stakeholders’ meeting to address the crisis in response to mounting concerns over delayed evacuation of empty containers and growing yard congestion at APM Terminals, Apapa,
The General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications of the NPA, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, announced the development in a statement issued in Lagos on Wednesday and a copy available to The Reporters on Thursday.
He revealed that the Managing Director of NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, convened the meeting to tackle operational bottlenecks and enhance efficiency at the Lagos Port Complex.
The meeting brought together major shipping lines and representatives of APM Terminals to identify challenges and chart a course towards more streamlined container handling operations.
According to Onyemekara, shipping lines at the meeting affirmed their compliance with the NPA’s licensing requirement of maintaining holding bays, which are subject to routine inspections.
The NPA has requested all lines to submit detailed lists of their holding bay locations and capacities,he said.
The port management also emphasized the importance of stakeholder participation in holding bay inspections to anticipate challenges and enhance oversight.
According to him,while shipping lines blamed the congestion on APM Terminals’ simultaneous gate closures,which they said disrupted container evacuation,APMT attributed the issue to a surge in cargo volumes and delayed removal of empties by the shipping lines.
He disclosed that several key decisions were taken to resolve the situation
He said that the meeting resolved that:APM Terminals will now provide regular yard stock updates to help shipping lines plan more effectively.
Gate closures must follow a new notification schedule: five days’ initial notice, a three-day reminder, and a final notice one day before closure.
Import containers will be transferred to off-dock terminals to relieve pressure on the main terminal yard.
NPA will intensify inspections of holding bays to improve understanding of operational capacity and container flow.
“All parties agreed that improved communication, timely notices, and optimal use of holding bays and bonded terminals are essential to easing congestion,” Onyemekara stated.
The Port Manager of the Lagos Port Complex, Mr. Adebowale Lawal, stressed the urgency of coordinated action among all port stakeholders to address the persistent congestion.
On the recent suggestions that APM Terminals Apapa was turning away empty containers, exacerbating the problem, it clarified that responsibility for empty container evacuation lies with the shipping lines, not the terminal.
Mr. Steen Knudsen, Manager of APM Terminals Apapa, explained that the increase in import volumes had led shipping lines to prioritise offloading imports over evacuating empties, resulting in yard congestion.
“As a result, we’ve had to temporarily restrict the reception of new empty containers until the current backlog is cleared,” Knudsen said.
Onyemekara said that the meeting was attended by representatives from major shipping lines including Maersk, Hapag Lloyd, PIL, CMA CGM, COSCO, and APM Terminals.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
