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By Paul Williams
With a dedicated container terminal and state of the art facilities, Onne Port in South-South Nigeria has been described as the hub for oil and gas logistics in the West African sub-region.
Manager of Onne Port, Alhaji Alhassan Ismaila Abubakar, during an interaction with maritime reporters on Friday, November 30, 2018 noted that with an ongoing berth expansion programme, standard and state of the art facilities, dedicated workforce and a management committed to implementing the Ease of Doing Business policy, Onne Port is engaged in creating a conducive environment for port users and investors.
“Onne port is a unique port, a port that is an example of public private partnership. We have state of the art facilities and our facilities are standard. We have berths 1 to 12 and there is a port expansion programme to increase it. One of the berths has been completed and is the newest in the port.
“The port has one of the biggest cranes in Africa. We have a dedicated container terminal with two berths and also a modern terminal. Onne Port has the RORO, and is the biggest oil and gas logistics base in the whole of West Africa. So, invariably, it is the hub for oil and gas logistics in the whole of West Africa,” he said.
In a bid to make the waterways safe for vessels, the management of the NPA, Onne port has evacuated two ship wrecks abandoned in its waterways to enhance free navigation for ships calling at the port, Abubakar said.
He described ship wrecks as a challenge to the management and vessel owners, adding that such wrecks hinder free flow of vessels to the port, thereby lowering its revenue.
The port manager said the removal of ship wrecks would enhance productivity, reduce water accidents and make the route safe for vessel owners.
Describing the removal of wrecks on the waterways as one of the achievements in 2018, Abubakar said the Onne port has also established a Safe Anchorage Area (SAA) to improve its activities and enhance productivity.
The manager also described the port as the most-friendly to its users, adding that management would continue to maintain cordial relationship with its three terminal operators, Brawal, Intels and the West African Container Terminals.
He explained that the ongoing Federal Government structural reforms on the nation’s ports would increase port activities across the country as well as improve revenue generation for the nation.
Abubakar said the Onne port has implemented the executive order on Ease of Doing Business, noting that the order will improve port productivity and efficiency.
