Onne Multipurpose Terminal (OMT), a new terminal at the Onne Port in Rivers state, has commenced operations as it has handled two vessels since last week with the first ship delivering 1,297 containers.
According to a statement by the operating company, International Container Terminal Services.
Incorporated (ICTSI) yesterday, the new terminal has doubled the Eastern Nigeria’s modern container handling capacity.
It said the first vessel berthed at the terminal on May 2. The MSC Floriana which is a vessel belonging to the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), berthed at OMT located at Berths 9-11 at the Federal Ocean Terminal, Onne Port with 1,297 containers.
The second vessel to berth was Pacific International Line’s 3900TEU capacity Kota Sejarah.
OMT signed a pact with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to manage, operate and develop terminal facilities at Federal Ocean Terminal in Onne Port and began operations in the first half of this year.
The Head of Operations at OMT, Robert Uljan, in the statement said: “We are all very proud of the successful operation of the vessel. We are very confident we can build on this achievement and progressively ramp up performance over the quay and landside to the benefit of all of our customers, shipping lines and cargo owners.”
In his remarks, Chairman and President of ICTSI, Enrique K. Razon, said OMT is a subsidiary of ICTSI.
“To-date, ICTSI has invested $35 million in state-of-the-art equipment, IT systems and personnel training. The next step will be major infrastructure works as well as investments in additional and bigger equipment totalling $100m.”
Managing Director of OMT, Jacob Gulmann, said the debut of OMT will help to reduce the congestion at the ports in Nigeria.
“We are also very happy to be able to hire and train hundreds of talented employees during this period of challenges to the oil and gas sector.” (Daily Trust)
