Implementing technology can increase the capacity and efficiency of the ports, Frederik Klinke, chief executive officer of APM Terminals Nigeria, has said.
Speaking on the sideline of the Nigerian Ports and Trade Investment Forum 2023 held in Lagos recently, Klinke said that technology can help build collaboration between government agencies and the private sector to find common solutions to the challenges facing the supply chain in the country.
He said APM Terminals has deployed software solutions that allow customers to interact with its staff online, thereby reducing physical interactions at the port.
“We are rolling out customer-centric solutions globally at APM Terminals, which allow an increased feasibility between what happens in Nigeria and other ports. The next frontier for us is to enable the connectivity between our systems, Customs, other governmental agencies, and customers that need to have visibility on the containers before they come into the country,” Klinke said.
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Moderating a session earlier on ‘Investments in Maritime Technology for Efficient Service Delivery at Nigerian Ports,’ Courage Obadagbonyi, chief financial officer of APM Terminals Nigeria, advocated synergy between government agencies operating at the port.
He said synergy and inter-agency collaboration would ensure effective service delivery to port users and strengthen the supply chain.
Ismaila Badjie, commercial manager of APM Terminals West Africa Container Terminal (WACT), said Nigeria is an African superpower with substantial growth opportunities.
He said APM Terminals became a leading container terminal operator because it focuses on meeting the needs of its customers.
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“We ensure that the customers are at the centre of our operations and thought processes. In Onne, we invested in a landscape; we are building a new terminal, which is almost completed. We also have online services such as Truck Appointment System which enables customers to create, change or cancel their truck appointment time slots, and TERMView, which enables customers to raise invoices, make payments, book container examination, and download receipts from the comforts of their offices or homes without having to visit the port.
“We seek to make processes easy for our customers. The way forward is to take the bull by the horns by collaborating to make a difference to the customer,” he said.
APM Terminals Nigeria oversees the operation of APM Terminals Apapa, West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) Onne, and APM Terminals Kano.
