Firm canvasses adoption of AI for ports efficiency

Webb Fontaine Nigeria Limited has identified the application of artificial intelligence as a way to achieve an efficient port system in Nigeria.

At a recent one-day Town Hall Meeting on Hitch Free Port Operations organised by JournalNG in Lagos, the firm urged the Federal Government to consider applying the Webb Port system being used in neighbouring Benin Republic.

While making a presentation at the event, Managing Director of Webb Fontaine Nigeria Limited, Ope Babalola, disclosed that his company has assisted Benin Republic in achieving the ICT port system that harmonised the country’s interests through a single transaction.

According to him, the system has helped in saving time, producing more accurate results, protecting government revenue and facilitating trade.

Explaining the operations of the technology, Director of Operations Webb Fontaine in Benin Republic, Tankian Coulibaly, said his company helped the Beninois government to set up a port community integration system called Webb Port.

He added that the system works to holistically unify all relevant stakeholders in the port community through various modules like e-movement for vessel monitoring and e- release after payment of taxes, duties and other levies through a single transaction before goods are released from the port.

Coulibaly said the system also provides e-voyage, e-manifest, e-booking e-payment and e-license in addition to many other features as approved by the government of Benin Republic in it’s bid to achieve an efficient port system.

He disclosed further that all government revenues in Cotonou port are paid through a single transaction where the installed software distributes accurately due revenue electronically to all the agencies involved.

According to him, beneficiaries of the system, which stakeholders recommended for Nigeria are ports authority, shipping companies, customs brokers, banks, terminal operators, haulage service providers and others within the port business area.