Port operating company, APM Terminals Apapa, handled more than 8.1 million Twenty Equivalent Units (TEUs) of containers in the past 15 years.
The Manager, Mr Steen Knudsen, made the disclosure in a statement on Sunday in Lagos.
Knudsen said that container volumes in the terminal increased by an average of 23 per cent annually over the past five years.
“We handled 8,134, 847 TEUs of containers since 2006 and more than 650,000 TEUs per year in 2020 and 2021, the majority of that being import volume.
“Over the last years, we have managed to grow the business extensively by 23 per cent per annum on average.
“We are continuously making our terminal operations more efficient,” he said.
According to Knudsen, there are factors beyond the control of a terminal operator that make it possible for consignees to keep their containers in the terminal for a long period.
“As a terminal, we are interested in ensuring that dwell time remains as low as possible.
“However, there are processes in place that we are not in direct control of.
“These include customs clearing processes and related processes of other government agencies such as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control and so on.
“These agencies have to approve the movement of cargo out of the port,” he said.
He said that the more in harmony this processes could work, the faster cargoes could move through the terminal; thus, reducing cost for importers.
The manager said that another factor in terms of cargo flow was Naira exchange rate to the U.S.dollar.
He said that the exchange rate had started to hurt Nigerian importers.
He said that APM Terminals Apapa was doing its best to be the preferred logistics gateway into the Nigerian economy by providing world-class services.
“World-class services mean that shipping lines that come in, get a consistent and cost-efficient product; that is, we handle their vessels fast, and it translates into reduced cost of import and export.
“For Nigerian importers and exporters, it will mean that our efficiency on the waterfront allows us to be cost-efficient in terms of facilitating their trade back into the market,” he said.
“For our employees, it means we are the preferred employer; that we continuously offer the best facilities and safe operations so that they have long-term employment with us, can develop themselves and go home safely at the end of the day,” he said.
APM Terminals Apapa has invested more than 438 million dollars in equipment, facilities and other elements of its operations. (NAN)
