ENL Consortium discharges 245 ships in 2012
• Prepares for negative growth in 2013
Leading indigenous port operator and concessionaire of Terminals C and D of the Lagos Port Complex (LPC), Apapa, ENL Consortium Limited handled a total of 245 ships that called at its facilities between January and December 2012.
General Manager of ENL Consortium, Mr. Mark Walsh, who disclosed this in Lagos yesterday, said that despite the ship volume, however, the concessionaire recorded a shortfall of 12 per cent in its cargo volume.
The 2012 projected cargo volume at the terminals was 4.5 million metric tons, but the company was only able to realise four million metric tons.
“The year was slow with a lot of turmoil. Government changed policies and these include the ban on importation of bulk cement. Government also increased the duty on rice to 50 percent which affected our tonnage,” he stated.
The ENL Consortium General Manager also attributed the downturn in cargo volume to other external factors such as congestion on the access roads leading into the terminal which he said also affected the turn-a-round of ships and the general downturn in the world economy.
He said that this year (2013) may not be any different from last year, as decrease in cargo tonnage and throughput is anticipated, especially with the 100 per cent increase in import duty on rice.
“It is not looking any better this year. We expect another 15 per cent decrease in volume. Our tonnage should be between 3.4 to 3.5 million metric tons,” Walsh said.
He said that, despite the downturn in business at the terminals, ENL Consortium will continue to improve on efficiency.
He said that cargo volume at the terminals more than doubled in between 2006 and 2012 from 1.8 million tons in 2006 to 4 million ton in 2012.
He said that the increased efficiency at ENL terminals is a direct outcome of investments in equipment, technology, manpower and infrastructures made by the company.
The ENL General Manager explained that the company offers complete discharging services on all essential commodities coming into Nigeria.
Upon takeover of cargo handling operation at the LPC Terminals C and D in March 2006, ENL Consortium immediately embarked on a massive development plan worth over $20 million, including fencing an area of approximately three kilometres; demolition of derelict sheds to provide stacking space for container handling; new initiatives regarding access control for vehicles and parking facilities to reduce congestion on the quay.
The company also introduced security to take control of access to the premises, thus ensuring the safety of personnel, the general public doing legitimate business, as well as minimising losses previously incurred as a result of the notorious wharf rat problem.
ENL handles all types of cargoes, including cement, wheat, flour, fish, and iron rods.
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