NPA RECORDS INCREASE IN CONTAINER AND VEHICULAR TRAFFIC

THE Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has recorded an increase in container and vehicular traffic at the end of the first quarter of 2012 showing an increase over the same period of  2011.

Available statistics shows that Laden Container Throughput stood at 210,057 TEUS reflecting a 5.7 per cent increase over the figure of 198,694 TEUS in the same period of 2011.

The Empty Container Throughput was 161,107 TEUS which showed an 18.9 per cent increase over the first quarter figure of 135,543TEUS of 2011.

Vehicle traffic stood at 63,992 units showing a growth of 42 per cent growth over the first quarter 2011 figure of 45,077.

The Nigerian Ports Authority in fulfilling its obligation of planning, development and maintenance of port infrastructure and provisions of common user facility as laid out on the concession agreement has continued to undertake massive marine rehabilitation.

These developments have been witnessed in the areas of laying of channel marking buoys, removal of all the identified critical wrecks our channels and continuous maintenance dredging of the channels among others.

These efforts have attracted more vessels as safe and secure navigation has been guaranteed.

The Managing Director NPA, Omar Suleiman has been consistent in saying that the Authority will continue to improve in its efforts  to attract bigger vessels, develop new port facilities, expand the existing port facilities and develop the necessary infrastructure to make Nigerian Ports the hub in the West and Central African Region.