Onne Port Receives Record-Breaking Container Vessel

Onne Port Receives Record-Breaking Container Vessel
Onne Port Receives Record-Breaking Container Vessel
The Onne Multipurpose Terminal (OMT) has made history by receiving the largest container ship ever to operate at Nigeria’s eastern ports.

Gatekeepers News reports that the Kota Cempaka, owned by Pacific International Lines (PIL), measures 300 meters in length and has a capacity of 6,600 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers.

According to Jim Stewart, CEO of OMT, “The arrival of such 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 importers and exporters.”

The Kota Cempaka’s visit is expected to support the federal government’s efforts to diversify the country’s economic base by boosting non-oil exports and generating more revenue. Stewart commended the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and its managing director, Abubakar Dantsoho, for making the port channels navigable and equipping the harbors department to handle large ships.

Hussein Abdulrahmon, port manager of Onne Port, noted that the Kota Cempaka brought in more cargoes on its second voyage than its first, and commended OMT and other stakeholders for the successful berthing, discharging, and loading of the vessel.

OMT, which handles various cargo types, is investing in new equipment, including modern cranes, to handle even bigger vessels and expand its operations.