APM Terminals has expressed support for the Federal Government’s plan to connect Apapa port to the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail line.
The Country Managing Director of APM Terminals Nigeria, Klaus Laursen, stated this following visit of the Minister of State for Transportation, Gbemisola Saraki, to the terminal last week.
He said linking the port to the rail line would facilitate cargo delivery.
Laursen advocated a multimodal transportation system to evacuate cargo from the port to avoid port congestion. He said APM Terminals first restored the rail in the port in 2013 leading to the movement of containers from Apapa port to Kano and Kaduna three times a week.
He said connecting the port to the new Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail line will offer a cost advantage to consignees and reduce pressure on the road.
Laursen said in addition to supporting the use of the railway to evacuate cargo, the terminal has encouraged the use of barges to move boxes from the terminal.
He also added that the terminal has been transformed into a world-class facility, which the country can be proud of.
“For us, it is not just about moving containers around, we are a heartbeat for the society and we create value for our customers,” he said.
Recall that the minister said arrangements have been made to remove the Customs building housing a radioactive scanner that had been obstructing the extension of the rail track to the port quay.
She said the goal is to have the rail track operational by the end of this month.