NPA boss satisfied with Intels’ facilities at Onne Port

The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms Hadiza Usman, has expressed satisfaction with the quality of facilities and services provided by Intels Nigeria Ltd., at Onne Port in Rivers.

A statement by Intels on Monday, said that Usman visited the Onne Port Terminal on Thursday as part of her maiden tour of port facilities in the Eastern part of Nigeria.

The NPA managing director said that she went round the Onne Port Complex and looked at the facilities.

“ The port management and operations are very tidy. We have seen the deployment of infrastructure efficiently and effectively,’’ she said.

Usman spoke on development works at the Phase 4B site of the terminal,

“I have inspected Onne 4 B and we are thinking of what we need to do within the shortest possible time to ensure that whatever government has invested in the project will be put to commercial use.

“So, while we lease out land to developers, we are not able to ensure that the developers take access of the premises and that is one of the important take away from this visit,’’ she said.

The Onne Port Complex has been in existence for 30 years.

The port complex was concessioned to Intels by the Federal Government in 2006 to handle oil and gas cargoes.

The Chief Executive Officer of Intels, Mr. Andrew Dawes, said that the provision of high quality facilities and services in Onne was the result of huge investments running into billions of dollars over the years.

“We (INTELS and NPA) are partners in the public private sector. Our policy is to invest in concessioned terminals in line with what was issued in concession agreement by NPA and the Ministry of Transportation.

“This is in line with the Federal Government’s strategy on infrastructure development,’’ he said.

On Phase 4 B development, he said that “It is the only facility ready to fully receive a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) system alongside it’’.

Dawes further said that sufficient water depth, turning basin and heavy lift capacity already existed in the jetty for loads up to 50 tonnes.