ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ON LEKKI DEEP SEAPORT
Sitting on a 90 hectares of land in Lagos free trade zone, and operated by Lekki Port LFTZ enterprise limited, is the Lekki deep seaport. This is currently the largest seaport in Nigeria, and one of the biggest in west Africa.
STRUCTURES
The seaport is segmented into three piers. The container terminal, the liquid terminal and the bulk terminal. With a proposed annual capacity of the container at 2.5 million TEU, and an annual cargo tonnage at 4 million tons per year, the port is slated to be equipped with over 14,500 ships to transport containers. Thereby aiding the relief of port congestion. The port has fixed quay rails with the amplitude to hoist 65 Tons in a double lift mode, 50 Tons in a single lift mode and 85 Tons beneath a hook.
OPERATIONS
The lekki seaport had berthed her first vessel in 2022. And has a high end capacity to access and discharge from the ulterior part of containers as huge as 16,000 TEU.
With the help of BIM Technology, research was conducted to ascertain the state of long period waves in West Africa, to ameliorate the flow of breakwaters and waterways thereby limiting the unwavering control.
The seaport is structured to operate intermodal, as it would promote infrastructural growth in Africa through the construction of highways, railways and air transits. The bulk terminal also has an equally enormous capacity of 300 metres quay length which is expected to accommodate a vessel as large as 75,000 dead weight tonnage.
ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF THE LEKKI DEEP SEAPORT
As the cheapest, most effective and equally safe means of transporting large quantity goods, seaports generally are economic gateways to trades. As they contribute significantly to the nation’s GDP. Seaports in Nigeria, controls 85% of import trade valued over 15 billion naira.
The lekki deep seaport is also slated to create over 170,000 jobs in related sectors directly or indirectly. This is quite significant in figures as it would see to the wellbeing of persons directly connected to the over 170,000 persons to be employed.
EXPECTATIONS
The Nigerian Minister for petroleum (as he then was), Rt Hon, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi in 2022 was quoted to have said that the lekki deep seaport will contribute about $360 billion to Nigeria’s GDP, and over 200 billion to the government.
The seaport’s chairman, Mr Abiodun Dabiri, predicts that lekki seaport and it’s environs, would be worth a whooping $25 billion in 4 to 5 years.
CAPACITY
Upon the completion of the second phase of the seaport, it will situate 3 berths which is expected to handle up to 45,000 dead weight tonnage vessel. And liquid containers would be fielded at a tank farm around port areas.