The Port Manager, Rivers Port Complex, Mrs Kenechi Okezie, in this interview with members of the Maritime Correspondents’ Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON) during a tour of the facility, speaks on ongoing efforts to reposition the Eastern ports, infrastructure upgrades at Rivers Port, measures to attract more cargo traffic, stakeholder collaboration, among other issues.
Excerpts
Q: What is the Rivers Port management doing to make the Eastern ports more attractive, considering that a significant proportion of cargo cleared in Lagos is destined for the South-East?
Rivers Port Complex is over 125 years old, so it is expected that some of its infrastructure would require rehabilitation. However, management has not abandoned the Eastern ports. Just as rehabilitation is ongoing at the Western ports, similar efforts are underway here.
Currently, some of our berths are being reconstructed to make them stronger, while the channel is being deepened to accommodate larger vessels. Given the port’s proximity to the South-East market, the Federal Government is making consistent investments to ensure the port is fully rehabilitated and more functional.
The objective is to enable vessels to berth directly at Rivers Port, thereby reducing the cost of transporting cargo by road from Lagos to the South-East. I want to assure stakeholders that the Eastern ports will soon witness increased activities.
Q: Rivers Port handles a large volume of bulk cargo. What measures are in place to attract more general cargo?
Rivers Port is traditionally known for handling bulk cargo, and we process a substantial volume of it. However, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has already introduced incentives to encourage operators bringing in general cargo.
For instance, charges for general cargo are lower than those for dry bulk cargo. Management remains committed to reviewing additional incentives that could further attract more general cargo traffic to the port.
Q: What challenges has the port management encountered in its relationship with stakeholders?
Collaboration remains the key to effective port operations. Naturally, there will always be differing opinions among stakeholders, but we enjoy cordial working relationships with agencies such as the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Navy, Port Health Services and others operating within the port.
Whenever issues arise, they are resolved amicably through dialogue. At the moment, I cannot point to any major challenge affecting our relationship with stakeholders.
Q: How is Rivers Port integrating the Port Community System with other government agencies operating within the port?
The Port Community System implementation is progressing well. The NPA has conducted several sensitisation programmes for sister agencies and stakeholders, and the platform has already gone live.
Today, shipping agents can upload manifests and other cargo documents electronically, allowing all authorised agencies to access the information in real time. This reduces paperwork, enhances transparency, minimises delays and improves overall port efficiency.
Implementation is still ongoing, but we are making steady progress.
Q: What is the current security situation in the Eastern ports, particularly regarding piracy and sea robbery?
Maritime security has improved significantly over the past two years. Piracy incidents have reduced considerably, and only a few cases have been recorded within our waterways during that period.
Nevertheless, we are not resting on our achievements. We will continue working with relevant security agencies to ensure absolute safety on our waterways.
Regarding port security, virtually all our ports operate at ISPS Code Security Level One, which means they remain safe for investors and shipping companies. We will continue strengthening both port and maritime security.
