The management of Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Limited says it has perfected plans to take delivery of three new-generation Ship to Shore (STS) cranes and 10 Rubber Tyred Gantries (RTG) from Shanghai, China ahead of the commencement of operations.
The Ship to Shore (STS) cranes would be able to service the largest container vessels currently sailing the oceans, which can carry more than 18,000 twe nty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).
Du Ruogang, managing director, Lekki Port, said the equipment which left Shanghai on May 17, 2022, en route to Lekki Port, Lagos, Nigeria, would be the most sophisticated port equipment ever to be used in Nigeria and would put the country at the forefront of container operations in West Africa.
Ruogang said the Lekki Port would become a catalyst and an economic enabler for Nigeria with this development. He added that the equipment would make Lekki Port operations fast, efficient and seamless.
Laurence Smith, the chief operating officer of Lekki Port, said that an STS Crane generates 300 lux of light, making the surrounding environment seem like daylight so that the stevedores can work safely at night.
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According to him, a personnel elevator is installed for the operators’ comfort and safety. He further said that the cabin was fitted with an ergonomic seat so that the operators can find the most optimal comfortable position for themselves while cameras are strategically equipped around the cranes to assist the operators with different angles to support the operation.
“From a customer and stakeholder perspective, the STS can more than double the performance of any port crane in Nigeria today, positioning Lekki Port as the future preferred gateway into Nigeria and beyond. Lekki Port is indeed a game-changer,” he said.
The specifications of the STS cranes include a fixed rail line at the quayside to access vessels and reduce delays moving from bay to bay. These cranes have a lifting capacity of 65 tonnes in twin-lift mode, 50 tonnes in single lift mode, and 85 tonnes under the hook beam. They can reach out from the quayside up to 61 metres and have an air draft of 52 metres and a span of 30.5 metres beneath the crane.
Lekki Port is currently at about 90 percent completion and is projected to commence operations in September 2022. The port is a private-public partnership involving the promoters, China Harbour Engineering Company and Tolaram the Lagos State government, and the Nigerian Ports Authority.
