A cargo vessel owned by Quest Shipping Ltd., carrying petroleum products, destroyed multi-billion naira worth of groynes along the Lagos coastline at the Maiyegun Waterfront Scheme near Eko Atlantic City.

The accident occurred on the night of July 29, 2024, after the vessel offloaded petroleum products at the Apapa port. However, due to a massive wave, the anchor broke, and the undercurrent moved the ship over 10 nautical miles (18.52 km), causing significant damage to the groynes designed to prevent coastal erosion.

Groynes, made of rocks or concrete, are built perpendicular to the shoreline to trap sand and stabilise the beach. The Guardian reports that a year ago, constructing a kilometre of groyne cost about N12 billion.

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Fidelis Ilok, the vessel’s Technical Superintendent, stated that the crew was asleep when the anchor broke, and the waves pushed the vessel into the groynes. He explained that it was total confusion until the groynes stopped the vessel.

Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Hon. Yacoob Ekundayo Alebiosu, confirmed the incident.

Lamenting the N7 billion damage, Alebiosu said that further investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the accident, stressing the state’s efforts to protect coastline communities from erosion.

Alebiosu stressed that the state would not tolerate damage to its infrastructure due to negligence.

“Some communities are still pleading for groynes to save them from erosion. Last year, constructing a kilometre of groyne cost N12 billion. We cannot allow our already built groynes to be destroyed,” Alebiosu said.