Amid plans to begin commercial operations at Lekki Deep Seaport next month, the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has called for a provision of freight agents village and full automation of the port activities.
The freight forwarding group made this call yesterday, when its Acting National President, Dr. Kayode Farinto led ANLCA National Executives on a courtesy visit to the management of the Lekki deep seaport in Lagos.
According to ANLCA, the visit was in continuation of the association’s collaboration with critical stakeholders in the maritime industry for a better working relationship.
The Acting National President of ANLCA, Dr. Farinto appealed to the port management to provide a “Freight Forwarders Village” for Customs brokers as obtained in other modern automated ports in the world.
He also stressed that he new port must be modeled after full automations as planned and should not allow any government agency using any guise to frustrate the plans for automated processes.
The ANLCA team was received by the Head Regulatory and Procurement, Mr. Daniel Odibe, who said the Lekki Deep Seaport management is happy to receive the association being a critical stakeholder in the port Industry.
The port management took the ANLCA team to the port area where construction work is still ongoing and showcased massive equipment acquired for the port operations expected to commence commercial operations in few weeks.
On the movement of cargoes to and from the port when operation starts, Odibe observed that though the proposed construction of the rail linking the port is in the pipeline, in the meantime containers will be moved via ocean going vessels and by roads.
Odibe assured that the new seaport will be fully automated and will reduce human contact, even as he revealed that the seaport is concessioned for 45 years under Build Operate Transfer (BOT) basis.
He noted the port has three container berths, three liquid berths and one dry bulk berth terminal, even as he explained that every activity is automated including the trucking system which will be operated by an electronic call-up system.