Two new gunboats have been deployed by the Nigerian Navy to secure vessels at berth at the Lekki Deep Seaports and vessels stationed at the port anchorage against insecurity and maritime related crimes.
The Safety Manager, Lekki Seaport, Samuel Azanar, disclosed this during a visit to the facility. According to him, 70 per cent of cargoes coming to West Africa are destined for the Nigerian markets.
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He, however, disclosed that with the strategic position of the seaport, foreign liners would prefer to bring their consignments to Nigeria instead of Lome Port.
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He noted that the port had a natural anchorage of 300 metres draught compare to other ports in the region. Azanar noted that before bigger vessels go to Togo, Ghana and Ivory Coast, they would first sail to Nigeria, adding that this was the competitive edge the port had over other countries in West Africa. He stated further that businessmen would prefer to come to Nigeria where there is market for their liners than other neighbouring ports.
Azanar explained that the NPA, which is the regulator determines the tariffs to be charged in the port, but said Lekki Port operate a competitive tariffs for importers.
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He noted that at the peak of operation, the port would at least berth 10 ships at anchorage, stressing that the port had handled seven vessels between April and May 2023. Weekly, he said that the port could handle three smaller vessels and two bigger vessels because of the equipment in the seaport.
