APM Terminals’ West Africa Container Terminal Nigeria (WACT) has acquired six more Rubber Tyred Gantry cranes (RTGs) to enhance service delivery at its terminal at the Onne Port in Rivers State.
The new cranes bring the total number of RTGs at the terminal to 14. The terminal also has four Mobile Harbor Cranes, and several other cargo handling equipment including Reach Stackers, terminal trucks and empty container handler.
BusinessDay understands that the new acquisition not only consolidates the position of WACT as the best equipped port terminal in Nigeria’s eastern ports, but will also help to fast track cargo delivery to importers.
Naved Zafar, managing director of WACT, says while receiving the crane that they will increase yard capacity, and improve vessel operations at the terminal.
“For the terminal operator, a crane is like a baby and we are very happy to welcome this baby to the APM Terminals/WACT family. We already have eight RTGs and these six RTGs have arrived in good time for proper testing and commissioning. We have been recruiting new operators, and have trained them ready to operate these cranes,” he explains.
Zafar says the new cranes were acquired as part of an investment of USD100 million upgrade of the terminal. The upgrade, according to him, includes the acquisition of additional Mobile Harbour Cranes, Rubber Tyre Gantry Cranes, Reach Stackers, terminal trucks and trailers and an empty container handler.
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He says the upgrade will include the deployment of reefer racks with a 600-plug capacity, yard expansion, new workshop and a new terminal gate complex.
“The eastern Nigeria market is projected to grow and it is important that infrastructure keeps pace with the projected volume growth. This is why APM Terminals is investing over USD100 million in WACT for new equipment and yard expansion to better serve our customers,” Zafar adds.
Noah Sheriff, commercial manager of WACT, says the six new cranes will give the terminal the opportunity to continue handling strong volume growth especially amidst high yard density due to high import volume.
He attributes volume growth at the terminal to WACT’s ability to provide premium services to its customers.
“Last year, we changed our quayside mode of operations from ship gear to Mobile Harbor Cranes, and this year, we are transforming our main yard from reach stacker to RTGs operations. Our e-commerce capabilities coupled with the ongoing upgrade project, which are key milestones in our transformation journey, has undoubtedly set us apart,” he adds.
On the role teamwork played in the progress of the upgrade, Rutger ten Thij, senior project manager of APM Terminals, says a dedicated team is working with several global contractors to realise the different critical milestones in the project.
WACT, which is owned and operated by APM Terminals, started commercial operation in 2006. It is the first Greenfield container terminal in Nigeria to be built under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The terminal is located within the Oil and Gas Free Zone in Onne Port, Rivers State.
