The port of Apapa, also known as Lagos Port Complex, stands as Nigeria's premier and largest port. It is situated in Apapa, Lagos State, the commercial centre of Nigeria.
Lagos Port Complex (Apapa Port). Source: Wikipedia
Historical Overview
The Apapa Port Complex is Nigeria's largest and busiest port complex. The complex consist of a number of facilities including Apapa quays, Third Apapa Wharf Extension, Apapa Dockyard, Apapa Petroleum Wharf, Bulk Vegetable Oil Wharf, Ijora Wharf, Kirikiri Lighter Terminal, and Lily pond inland container terminal.
The Port was established in 1913 and construction of the first four deep water berths commenced in 1921. Financed and built by the colonial government of Nigeria, It became the nation's busiest port for exporting agricultural produce from the provinces of Western and Northern Nigeria in the late 1920s.
A major factor that led to the creation of Apapa Port Complex was the completion of the Western railway with Lagos as the main terminus, thereafter, a need arose for a facility to load and discharge goods in either direction of Western Nigeria and the Northern provinces. At the time, much of the natural harbours within Lagos were not conducive for ships due to the presence of a natural sandbar and heavy tides, this barrier sometimes caused goods to Lagos to be diverted to the calmer entrance of Forcados.
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In 1906, a large capital expenditure was budgeted for the dredging of Lagos harbor and the construction of two stone moles to facilitate access to ocean going vessels, in 1913, the engineering works were completed and ocean going shipping vessels had access to the Lagos harbour. In 1919, a 180-foot wharf was extended to Apapa, a location that had been decided will be the terminus for the Western railway.
Beginning in 1956, the newly formed NPA began to expand the number of berths within the complex, adding an additional six berthing space. This extension of the wharf was completed in 1961. A second extension was completed during the first national development plan between 1962 and 1968. The increased space caused the port to further lead in cargo handling and by the end of 1966, it handled a cargo load of 1.9 million tonnes.
After the second extension, the land area of the wharf was about 100 hectares with the ability to handle twenty loading or discharging vessels at a time. A third extension along the Badagry creek was completed in 1979.
Port Operations and Facilities
The Apapa Port is well equipped with modern cargo handling equipment and personnel support facilities making her cost effective and customer friendly. It enjoys intermodal connection - Rail, Water and Road.
Within this port complex, there is a combined length overall of over 2000 meters and with a minimum draft condition alongside of 10meters. Vessel waiting time alongside and at anchorage is an impressive 1.5 days resulting in increased vessel turnaround time.
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Goods are transported by Road and Rail from the port, Thus the Rail handling services is by APM Terminals Apapa. This terminal is one of the only container terminals in Nigeria with a rail link to other parts of the nation. Using the rail service, congestion could be avoided leading to faster turnaround time for cargo. The rail facilities mean that cargo can be loaded directly onto a train at the terminal in the hinterland.
In addition to making passenger rail travel from Lagos to Kano faster and safer in 2020, contracted and scheduled freight rail services were for the first time in a decade. In June 2020, two daily connections were introduced to Alagomeji Terminals in Yaba and Ijoko Terminals in Ogun State. Trucks can then be deployed to both locations to collect containers and return empties, which the NRC will convey back to the port.
Rail transport is quick and reliable - free of traffic jams - and is extremely suitable for heavy loads and dangerous transport. One train takes an average of 20 lorries off the road.
The port covers more than 80 hectares and has a four-wheeled gate with a height of eight metres for receiving oversized cargoes. It has two logistics centres that include bonded warehouses and terminal buildings.
The port's container terminal covers an area of 55 hectares and has a total quay length of 1,005 metres. It has an annual container capacity of over 1,000,000 TEU and 298 reefer connections. 13 mobile harbour cranes and 14 rubber-tyred cranes are used for loading and unloading. The storage areas include 3 warehouses with an area of 3,025 m2 and an unpaved open yard for temporary storage of goods.
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Terminals and Operators
Presently, the Lagos port complex has five (5) private Terminals with expert management and personnel that have both local and international experience in port operation. Greenview Dev Nig. Terminal E: Greenview Dev. and Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics (LADOL) and eight (8) jetties.
Nigerian Ports Authority owned and administered operations in Lagos Port Complex from 1956 until it was concessioned in 2005. During this period most of the services within the port were performed by NPA with the exception of stevedoring and manufacturing. In 2005, the complex was divided into multiple terminals and sold to private operators to manage for a set number of years.
The Apapa port complex has in addition four tank farms for the storage of refined petroleum products. Sugar, Salt, and Flour are produced in factories belonging to operators within the port.
There are five private terminals in the Lagos Port Complex. These specialised facilities have more than 10 berths for handling grain, machinery, construction materials and perishables such as food, minerals, fertilisers, flour, salt, sugar, etc. Two grain mills and a processing plant are located on the port premises near the bulk terminals. Crude oil and petroleum products are handled at the eight jetties. The port has four jetties for handling fishing boats. Coal is handled at the 150m Ijora facility.
Bulk Terminal
The bulk terminal in managed by Apapa Bulk Terminal Limited which provides a spectrum of facilities such as open and closed storage, ship repair facilities, cargo handling and consolidation, equipment rentals and lease, bonded warehousing as well as multi-modal cargo distribution and delivery, thereby adding tremendous value to the logistics chain and meeting the expectation of all stakeholders.
ENL Terminal
ENL presently operates 5 warehouse sheds measuring approximately 15000sqm which they use to store goods for multiple general consignees. This is nominated to the port terminal by the Nigeria port authority. The number of vessel calls determined the amount of stevedoring company assigned to a port terminal.
However the infrastructure for ENL terminal appears to require some major upgrade on sections of the quayside with talks ongoing with the relevant government agency regards this. This is in addition to the warehouses which may require some structural integrity and hygiene upgrade.
Port Security
The Apapa port complex has a security set up that includes the port police and naval police, the navy, and men from the state security services. Amongst others, there are men from the military intelligence unit, the national drug law, and the Nigerian customs responsible for monitoring the port and its immediate waters.
Lagos Port Complex is registered as an ISPS certified Port facility with the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Current Operations
For improved operational activities and efficiency, the landlord Port model was introduced by the Federal Government of Nigeria, and this later culminated in the concession of the terminals to private operators in 2006. To improve the port operation services, the Federal Government of Nigeria adopted the port landlord model in 2006.
The port offers 24hrs operations and vessel turnaround time is impressive. Vessel waiting time alongside and at anchorage is an impressive 1.5 days resulting in increased vessel turnaround time.
There is a custom command domiciled here at this port and headed by an area comptroller. This is readily available.
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