The management of Lekki Deep Sea Port on Friday announced the historic arrival of the CMA CGM RIMBAUD, the first transshipment vessel to berth at the container terminal of Lekki Deep Sea Port, Nigeria newest port.
The vessel, which arrived at approximately 1.00 pm on Thursday, the company told maritime journalists, contains cargo from two of the largest container shipping lines in the world, CMA CGM and Maersk.
The management said the service originated from the Far East, passing through Shanghai, Ningbo, Shekou, Nansha, Tanjung Pelepas, Singapore to Kribi, Cameroun, before finally arriving at Lekki Port.
According to the management, “The vessel is carrying 411 TEUs of transshipment cargo and has a nominal container handling capacity of 6,900 TEUs.”
Speaking on the milestone, the Managing Director, Lekki Port, Du Ruogang, expressed appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Transportation and the Nigerian Ports Authority for their support in ensuring the start of transshipment activities at Lekki Port.
Also speaking, the Chief Operating Officer, Lekki Port, Laurence Smith, noted that all regulatory agencies operating at the port, particularly the Nigerian Customs Service worked together with Lekki Port and the container terminal operator, Lekki Freeport Terminal, to ensure a hitch-free arrival of the vessel and processing of cargo.
Lekki Port, with its state-of-the-art Ship to Shore cranes and sophisticated scanners, he explained is now poised to position Nigeria as the preeminent transshipment hub of West Africa.
The transshipped cargo will depart for Cotonou, its final destination, on July 06, 2023.
