Truck operators return to work at Apapa port

The management of APM Terminals Apapa Limited has met with truck operators to address challenges they might encounter in plying the port as a result of the traffic gridlock being experienced in Apapa.

The traffic gridlock is as a result of the bad road condition leading into and out of Apapa.

The Chief Commercial Officer of APM Terminals Apapa Limited, Mr. Neil Fletcher, said trucking operations resumed at the port today after the meeting with the operators who had suspended work yesterday because of the challenges they face on the road.

Fletcher said APM Terminals Apapa has been delivering out record volumes of containers.

He said 35,124 import containers were delivered out in May and June which represents the largest volume delivered in two months in the history of the terminal.

He said the large delivery volume is as a result of huge investment in plants and modern container handling equipment.

“At present, we operate with 22 (RTGs) Rubber Tire Gantry cranes, 17 reach stackers & empty container handlers and 75 terminal trucks. This is unmatched in any other terminal and is sufficient for our level of operation,” he stated.

Fletcher said that truck turnaround times at the terminal have reduced from 1hour 53 minutes in February 2014 to 1hour 40 minutes in June 2014.

“Dwell times for laden imports have reduced by three days from May to June 2014. Our current civil project which has cost $135 million is within two months of completion and has resulted in a superior service to our land side customers.

“We have been and are working closely with the Nigerian Ports Authority and other stakeholders to ease the problem of the congestion in Apapa,” Fletcher stated.



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.