WACT Onne acquires six RTG cranes to boost operations in eastern ports

APM Terminals’ West Africa Container Terminal Nigeria (WACT) has taken delivery of six more Rubber Tyred Gantry Cranes (RTGs) to enhance service delivery at its terminal at the Onne Port, Rivers State.

The new addition brings the total number of RTGs at the terminal to 14. The terminal also has four Mobile Harbour Cranes, and several other cargo handling equipment including Reach Stackers, terminal trucks and empty container handler.

The Managing Director of WACT, Naved Zafar, who received the new RTGs alongside other senior management staff of the company recently, said the new cranes will increase yard capacity, improve vessel operations at the terminal and fast-track the delivery of cargo.

He said: “We already have eight RTGs and it is good to see that these six additional RTGs have arrived in good time for proper testing and commissioning. We have been recruiting new operators and have trained them very well, so they are very ready and excited to operate these cranes.”

Zafar said the new cranes were acquired as part of an investment of $100 million upgrade of the terminal, which according to him, includes the acquisition of additional Mobile Harbour Cranes, Rubber Tyre Gantry Cranes, Reach Stackers, terminal trucks and trailers and an empty container handler.

He said the upgrade will also include the deployment of reefer racks with a 600-plug capacity, as well as expansion of the current yard, new workshop and a new terminal gate complex.

“The eastern Nigeria market is projected to grow. Therefore, it is important that infrastructure keeps pace with the projected volume growth.”

This is why APM Terminals is investing over $100 million in WACT for new equipment and yard expansion, so as to keep pace with market growth and better serve our customers in East Nigeria and beyond,” Zafar said.

Also speaking, the Commercial Manager of WACT, Noah Sheriff, said the six new RTGs would increase the overall terminal capacity and improve service delivery for both liner and landside customers.

“One of our challenges currently is high yard density due to high import volume, so these new arrivals will give us the opportunity to continue handling the strong volume growth we have seen throughout this year,” Sheriff said.

He said volume growth at the terminal is as a result of WACT’s ability to provide premium services to its customers.

“If you can recall, we changed our quayside mode of operations last year from ship gear to Mobile Harbor Cranes and this year we are transforming our main yard from reach stacker to RTGs operations.

“Our e-commerce capabilities coupled with the ongoing upgrade project, which are key milestones in our transformation journey, has undoubtedly set us apart, as we offer products second to none in the east Nigeria market,” the WACT Commercial Manager said.