Eastern ports are beginning to attract large vessels as the Onne Multipurpose Terminal (OMT) has received a vessel with a capacity of 6,600 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers at the Onne Port Complex, Rivers State.
The container ship, Christened KOTA CEMPAKA and owned by Pacific International Lines (PIL), is 300 metres long and is seen as the largest container ship ever to carry out full operations at an eastern port.
The large container ship loaded and discharged containers full of Nigerian imports and exports. Speaking during a reception on the maiden voyage of the ship to Onne Port, the Chief Operations Officer of Onne Multipurpose Terminal (OMT), James Stewart, said the successful berthing and operation of the vessels marked a major milestone for the terminal and for the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
“We are proud that PIL trusts OMT with handling its large vessels in Onne. The arrival of large vessels is part of a global trend where shipping lines are upscaling vessel sizes to achieve economies of scale and reduce transport costs for Nigerian importers and exporters,” Stewart said.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of OMT, Jacob Gulmann, said the terminal is partnering with NPA to ensure they are ready for larger vessels. He said NPA is working tirelessly to ensure the water depth at Onne port is 12 metres, which is crucial to allowing a new generation of vessels to call.
Gulmann stated that OMT is proud of this milestone, which is a testament to the company’s contribution to Nigeria’s logistics sector. He said since the commencement of OMT operations in 2021, it has since then contributed to reducing vessel waiting times in Onne Port, while also doubling container capacity and enhancing competition to the benefit of all customers. Gulmann noted that the achievement would not have been possible without the cooperation of OMT’s many stakeholders in Nigeria and abroad.
