West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) and the Ibeto Group have initiated a new barging service to streamline logistics associated with cargo movement in the eastern part of the country.
This follows the first successful barge call at Onne Port, marking the start of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed earlier this year between the two entities.
The partnership aims to leverage barging as an alternative to traditional trucking methods, facilitating smoother and more cost-effective container transfers between WACT Onne and the Ibeto terminal, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Speaking during the ceremony at the weekend, the Chief Executive Officer of APM Terminals Nigeria, Frederik Klinke, highlighted the initiative as a response to demands for seamless cargo clearance and delivery, aiming to eliminate logistical bottlenecks associated with transporting containers by truck between Onne and Port Harcourt.
Klinke also mentioned that the partnership resulted from years of planning and collaboration with shipping lines and the Ibeto Group, aimed at offering customers flexible, efficient, and reliable logistics solutions.
He said that the new barging service is expected to alleviate the often-challenging road conditions that can delay cargo movement, providing a more direct and less congested route for the transportation of goods.
Klinke added that it also aims to reduce logistical costs and risks by enabling the easy transfer of empty containers and the stuffing of export-bound goods at the Ibeto terminal, utilising WACT’s newly commissioned Container Freight Station (CFS).
The Sales Manager at WACT, Chika Umeh, described the initiative as epoch-making, noting that it directly responds to customer demands for closer, more efficient and cost-effective logistics solutions.
Umeh emphasised that the collaboration also addresses broader economic and environmental concerns by promoting the use of inland waterways, which are currently underutilised in the region.
