Tin Can Island Port (TCIP), received the largest commercial vessel to berth at the port as it welcomed a 300 meters long vessel with 15,000 Twenty Equivalent Units (TEU) of containers in a voyage, yesterday.
The vessel, M.S.C Maureen is considered the largest vessel to have berthed at the Lagos pilotage district, the closest being a 275 meters long vessel.
The Port Manager, Tin Can Island Port, Mr. Buba Jubril, while speaking at the quay, hailed the successful berthing of M.S.C Maureen (Panama), describing the berthing of the vessel as a groundbreaking achievement at the TCIP.
Jibril, however, revealed that obvious challenges have not stopped the port from doing its day-to-day operations excellently.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Comptroller of Enforcement TCIP Customs Command, Apapa, Lagos. G.I. Aliu opined that as the Customs Service sees the development as an affirmation of the standards readily available at the port.
He added that development is a manifestation of efficiency and an indication of a big revenue earnings for the country.
“This container carrier can carry about 15,000 TEU of containers and this portends more revenue and more development for the nation,” he said.
Similarly, The TCIP Harbour Master Capt. Ibrahim Habib said with the arrival of M.S.C Maureen, they have been able to maximize the potential of our channels” that before now we had only berthed a vessel with 275 metres length and now 300 meters long adding that with that achievements we are gradually pushing the limits and the vessel have helped to increase the investors’ confidence on our competencies and will surely attract more economic values.”
Pilot Emmanuel Samaila who spoke on behalf of other pilots said it was a great achievement to bring a length of 300 meters to TCIP adding that this marks double of the kind of vessels that usually call at the Port.
On his part, the Managing Director of M.S.C Nigeria Limited, Mr Andrew Lynch, stated it was a great day which the company and other stakeholders have been working towards.
“We have had several simulations and meetings among stakeholders to be able to achieve this. This would bring greater benefit to Lagos importers and exporters to have larger container vessels inward and will make the port more competitive,” he said.