Apapa Container Terminal eyes more export cargo, expands yard

To bolster Nigeria’s non-oil exports, APM Terminals Apapa, said it has expanded its yard capacity to handle increasing export cargo volumes.

With the recent expansion, the terminal now boasts an additional 2,400 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of container capacity.

APM Terminals has a capacity of 1,000,000 TEUs annually and the recent expansion brings the capacity to about 1,002,400 TEUs annually.

It will allow for the handling of more export containers efficiently, reducing wait times and ensuring smoother operations.

It will ensure that the terminal’s export section is better equipped to meet growing demand and improve overall throughput.

Read also: APM Terminals expands barge capacity, dedicates lanes for non-oil exports

Steen Knudsen, terminal manager, said the company is committed to supporting the Nigerian economy and the recent expansion is driven by exporter and shipping line feedback.

“We’ve held several interactive forums to gather insights and improve our processes. The expanded yard is a direct result of this collaboration. Additionally, we’ve completed paving the Customs examination section, enhancing the standard of the inspection area and improving cargo tidiness and efficiency,” Knudsen said.

Knudsen said that the terminal achieved the expansion and pavement project with 254,188 contractor man-hours without any safety or security infractions, underscoring the terminal’s focus on safety alongside operational efficiency.

“We are dedicated to maintaining high safety standards while delivering efficient services,” he added.

As part of its broader export promotion initiative, APM Terminals Apapa also enhanced its barge capacity, gate access, and dedicated export lanes to reduce turnaround times for export containers.

These efforts have yielded significant results, with the terminal recording an increase of 9 percent for its half-year (H1) export figures for non-oil cargo in 2024 at 51,000 TEUs, when compared with 47,000 TEUs for H1 2023.