The people of Onne community have extended their appreciation to the Federal Government and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for driving increased business activities at the Onne Port, where Nigeria’s largest shipping vessel in history berthed last weekend.
Speaking during the arrival of the ship at the weekend, J.D. Osaronu, paramount ruler of Onne, said the development shows that the Federal Government has not forgotten the community.
“I wish to convey to the management of NPA, the profound gratitude of Onne community for the berthing of the biggest (Maersk) vessel to ever berth in the port of Africa,” said the traditional ruler, who was represented by Jima Osaronu, a prince of Onne during the arrival of the vessel in Onne, River State.
With this development, he said, they people of Onne community believed that the Federal Government has not abandoned the Onne seaport and its general cargo status.
Theo Adoki, one of the leaders of shippers at Onne Port, described the feat as a welcome development.
While commending the management of Nigerian Ports Authority, the port manager, the harbour master and the entire pilots in Onne Port for the successful handling of the vessel, Adoki used the opportunity to let the world know that the eastern ports, especially Onne Port in particular, is ready for shipping business.
Joseph Isang, general manager, Husbanding Maersk-APS Onne, said that the development will chart a new course and bolster the maritime industry in the eastern part of the country and Nigeria as a whole.
Recall that the Onne port complex successfully berthed the Maerskline Stardelhorn vessel, one of the biggest gearless Maerskline vessels with capacity to carry about 10,000 Twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) last weekend.
With a length of 300 metres and width of 48 metres, it is the biggest-ever container vessel to berth at any port in Nigeria.
In December 2019, Onne handled a containership measuring 265 metres in length overall which at the time was the first gearless vessel and the largest containership to visit a seaport outside the Lagos.
Also in January this year, Onne handled another large gearless containership with a capacity of 3,081 TEU deployed by Pacific International Lines
