Stakeholders in Nigeria’s maritime industry are calling for the urgent implementation of a fully automated truck call-up system at the Onne Port, Rivers State, to streamline operations, avoid congestion, and improve safety.
A chieftain of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Adeshina Ajibola, stressed that despite skepticism from some quarters, an automated call-up system is necessary to regulate truck movements and eliminate illegal roadside parking at the Federal Ocean Terminal (FOT) and Federal Lighter Terminal (FLT).
Ajibola noted that trucks parked along access roads should be relocated to designated truck parks, and that automating their entry and exit would also improve trade data accuracy.
Truckers John Chukwu and Mike Idike highlighted that lessons from Lagos have been applied in the Onne model, particularly the use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to prevent the resale of access codes — a major flaw in Lagos’ ETO system.
Chairman of Call-Up Technologies, Ayo Durowaye, explained that Onne was the original pilot location for the system and warned that unregulated truck activity poses a national security risk.
He revealed that truck turnaround time has already been reduced from 14 days to 24 hours in trial phases.
Truck drivers’ unions, including the Onne Container Truck Drivers group, have pledged support for the system and launched awareness campaigns among members. Coordinating Secretary Samuel Ossai dismissed opposition to the system as self-serving, affirming the group’s partnership with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
Chairman of the Nigerian Port Consultative Council (Eastern Port), Chief Godwin Ololuka, described the current truck parking conditions around Onne as chaotic and hazardous. He expressed optimism that the e-call-up system, along with newly constructed truck parks, would restore order.
NPA officials have reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to the reforms, emphasizing that all stakeholders must support initiatives that enhance trade efficiency and safety.
Copyright Ships & Ports Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit given to www.shipsandports.com.ng as the source.