Transport institute pushes for viable intermodal system

To allow for efficient delivery of cargoes to various destinations across the country, the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIoTA), has canvassed a viable intermodal transportation system.

The institute, during a media parley in Lagos urged advocacy importers and exporters that make use of the Eastern ports to avoid congestion currently being experienced in Lagos ports.

According to the institute, the high concentration on Apapa and Tin-Can Island ports by importers gave rise to the Apapa gridlock, which has caused the entire Apapa community untold hardship, as residents find it difficult to go about their businesses.

Enlightening stakeholders on the focal points to be discussed at its 2019 National Transport Summit, President, CIoTA, its President, Bashir Jamoh, said a viable intermodal system could only be achieved when related bodies in the transportation and logistics sector come together to brainstorm and share ideas with relevant authorities for the good of the Nigerian economy.

He said the forthcoming summit would create the opportunity for industry stakeholders to lay emphasis on the need for the expansion of the seaports, especially Apapa and Tin-Can Island ports, due to the high volumes of trade, so that they can accommodate more containers.

He said: “There is need for the integration of road, rail, water, and air transport systems, as it has become glaring that one cannot stand without the other. When goods are brought by air, rail or water, the end means of transporting those goods is majorly the road.

“You know that trade is only complete when goods reach its final destination efficiently. At the summit, we will be discussing and addressing how best we can get the needed value in the transport sector of the supply chain.

“We are looking at the seamless linking of the whole modes of transportation. The main problem of Apapa Port is congestion and decongestion has to do with intermodal and largely the more concentration on the roads rather than the rail and the inland waterways.

“If we can allow the use of barges to transport containers or cargoes and move them through the inland waterways, we will be pushing for the use of the ports in the South-South region of the country, so that Lagos ports will be decongested,” he said.

He maintained that one of the major challenges the ports are facing currently is the linkage of railways from the ports to different destinations in different parts of the country.

“The summit will see to the making of policies on how we can introduce Public Private Partnership (PPP) in terms of development of infrastructure like the rail system.

“If we can have the rail from the deep seaports up to the hinterlands or a kind of an air base, as the Lekki deep seaport is also getting a new airport, we can also utilise the air transportation mode to carry cargoes that are not heavy.

“Also, our inland waterways will have different ports up to Baro port in Niger State. You can imagine someone coming from Maiduguri, Sokoto and Kaduna to Lagos to lift petroleum products, while they can easily pick their products in Baro from tank farms and other associated storage to their final destination,” he added.