By Steve Agbota
Determined to revive the port in Delta State, the Federal Government said it has awarded contract for remedial dredging of Escravos channel.
Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko, who disclosed this in Warri, said the dredging of the channel would help to expand the channel and enable bigger vessels to visit the port in Delta State.
The dredging, he said, which has started and is about halfway done, will enable port in Delta State to have a better draft, receive bigger vessels and record less incidences of vessels running aground when completed.
“We all know that the breakwaters collapsed about 10 years ago, and there has been high siltation resulting in reduction of the draft from seven meters to three meters in some places,” Bello-Koko said.
According to him, the NPA has also started the mapping and charting of the Escravos channel, starting from the fairway buoy down to Koko Port, which has not been done for over a decade or more.
“The essence is to enable us know the draft along the way and also ensure that the navigational aids are properly placed. This is because there are some decisions that can only be taken after knowing that the channel has been properly mapped and surveyed,” he said.
Bello-Koko further said the efforts put together means that the NPA is beginning to pay attention to the ports outside Lagos.
“We have a special interest in ensuring that Warri and other ports are more active. This is why we have been holding stakeholders meetings and we are going to Port Harcourt for another one. “