The Rector of Star Maritime Academy, Ota, Ogun State, Dr Reuben Ovia, has applauded APM Terminal for its contribution to the development of ports operation in Nigeria.
He said APMT had done creditably in investing in equipment used for cargo clearance since it started operating in Nigeria, saying that the company is an example of the success story of concessioning.
He told SHIPS & PORTS DAILY that anyone who knew how Nigerian Ports operated prior to the concessioning would agree that the terminal operators had really changed the face of ports operation.
He said, “Before consessioning, clearing of goods from the ports was always a nightmare, but since government consessioned the ports in 2006, there had been considerable level of sanity in port operations.
“Private terminal operators have invested massively in the sector and they need to be commended, especially APMT that has also invested massively to aid quick clearance of cargo at the port,” he said.
Dr Ovia also remarked that concessionng had made Nigerian ports competitive. He said that prior to this time, ships were seen queuing for berth, but that all those had changed since ships now berth, discharge their cargo and leave.
“Concesioning has really helped our ports to grow in terms of competitiveness. Before, ships were seen queuing at berths, but now, it is not so, no queue for ships that want to berth and that has increased the turnaround time at the Nigerian Ports.”
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.