Onne, PH ports to receive jumbo vessels

The Eastern ports of Onne and Port Harcourt will soon begin to play host to jumbo vessels in their terminals. This was disclosed by the Bonny Channel Company (BCC), the company responsible for the management of the channels to the ports.

The Group Head of Commercials, Mr.OpenaAnobili, during an interview in Lagos said the introduction of jumbo vessels at the Port Harcourt and Onne Ports in Rivers, will reduce the cost of shipments at the two ports.

He said that jumbo vessels, expected to service the two ports would sail into the ports with as many as 4,000 containers. He attributed the coming of jumbo vessels with cargoes to the two ports to the deepening of the depth of the channels to14.23 metres.

According to Anobili, the use of bigger vessels to bring goods into the two ports would lower cost of freights and impact positively on other sectors of the economy.
“We were able to deepen the waters to 14. 23 metres from 12.8 metres and it has been of great advantage to the Federal Ocean Terminal (FOT) and the Federal Lighter Terminal at Onne. This also includes the Okrika Jetty and the Port Harcourt Port. It is important because it is where you have refined petroleum products. Now, with the West African

Container Terminal that is working in the FOT, they are expecting jumbo vessels to bring in containers. Our trial test with a jumbo vessel succeeded, having created a new turning circle in the Onne axis. So, within the next couple of months, we will expect these jumbo vessels to start coming in with up to about 4,000 containers at a go.”
Anobili explained that in shipping, the volume determines the freights. “So if a vessel is coming with 4,000 containers, the freight will dip. And if freight drops, it will benefit other sectors of the economy,” he said.

He also said that one remarkable thing about channel management was the improvement in the turn-around time of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) vessels.
He said that before the deepening of the channels, NLNG vessels could only work at high tide to avoid running aground and causing accidents.