OMT receives largest container ship, urges FG to fund dredging of Onne Port channel

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Onne Multipurpose Terminal (OMT), Jim Stewart, has described the call of Kota Carum, the largest container vessel, at OMT as a win for Nigeria’s maritime industry and national economy.

Jim Stewart, however, urged the Federal Government to increase funding for channel dredging at Onne Port to attract even larger vessels and boost trade volumes.

He stated this when Kota Carum, the Singapore-flagged vessel, arrived OMT at the Onne Federal Ocean Terminal, Rivers State, at 10:30am on Wednesday, April 16, 2024 and was safely berthed in berths 9 and 10 within 20 minutes.

Kota Carum, which is owned by Pacific International Lines (PIL), measures 301.43 metres, with a carrying capacity of 6,606 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units. During its 55-hour port stay, the vessel will discharge 1,250 containers and load 1,619 containers, including export-bound cargo and empty containers.

According to him, “We are incredibly honoured to receive the largest vessel to ever berth at Onne. Following the arrival of the Kota Cempaka last year.

“It’s a win for the Nigerian economy. The ability to berth larger vessels means more direct cargo movement, reduced logistics costs, and increased revenue for the country.

“Freight forwarders also benefit, as they avoid the extra costs associated with transshipment.

“Direct calls by larger ships eliminate the need for transshipment via smaller feeder vessels, which cut down logistics costs and reduce freight tariffs for Nigerian importers and exporters.”

Stewart said OMT’s ongoing modernisation and strategic investments in terminal infrastructure, including the acquisition of additional state-of-the-art cranes, have improved the terminal’s cargo-handling capabilities and reduced vessel turnaround time.

“Allowing a vessel of this magnitude to berth at our terminal is a vote of confidence in our capabilities by NPA.

“We are fully prepared to receive vessels from any shipping line. But for us to unlock the full potential of Onne Port, additional dredging is essential. We urge the Federal Government to support NPA with the necessary resources to deepen and widen the channels,” Stewart said.

Yakubu Ezra, Chief Pilot at Onne port, who was also present at the ship’s berth, noted that the Nigerian Ports Authority is “fully equipped, both in training and technology, to safely pilot large vessels into our ports.”