NIGERIA's first deep sea port which construction is currently on-going at Lekki area of Lagos is expected to commence port operations in the next three years, precisely 2012. The port would provide the initial employment to no fewer than 3000 Nigerians.

The port would serve as a centre of shipping activities in the West and Central Africa as it is being planned to be a transshipment port for the African Sub Region

Speaking when the Minister of Transport, Alhaji Ibrahim Bio visited the project site at the weekend,the Managing Director Mr. Anand Sivaram said the construction of a new port in Nigeria was imperative as recent private investment in the port sector has not being able to cope with port users demand as the volume goods coming into the ports have increased in the last few year

He said the port was being built out of the need to support the double digit growth for Nigeria and transshipment potential of the country. The company, he said had already invested about $1.1billion on the port project.

According to him, the construction of the port would commence in December 2009 and would be completed by 2012.

ON completion, it would have about 1,500 meters long "Breakwater and 200m wide "approach channel. The port is being designed to handle container carriers of 4000m long with a drought of 14.5 metres and other container vessels with the capacity of 8,500 TEUs.

Besides, the port on completion would handle Suez Max and Aframaz Tankers of 160,000 DWT

He said, "The channel will be initially dredged 16.5 and later to 19.5m the port will be the 1st deep water port West Africa to berth larger vessels that current ports cannot berth volume of capital dredging -19.5m cubic meters. Main Breakwater of 1,500m length oriented to avoid wave penetration and facilitating natural sediment by-pass and designed for 1,100 year return period".

He explained that with the support of the Nigerian Ports Authority NPA, lekki ports LFTZ Enterprise would operate its own maritime service fleet of vessels and trained pilots

According him, the company had since completed studies in areas of Oceanography Bathymetry, offshore and investigation among others.

He noted that to avoid traffic bottle-neck and ensure safety at the port access roads there was need for further investment in infrastructures to aid traffic flow in the area

The new investments he said could be in the form of construction of new roads and bridges, railways or waterways stressing that the Lagos state government had concluded plans to link the port with the railway and airport to facilitate movement of goods and services.

He urged the government to put in place a regulatory framework to ensure smooth running of the new port and free trade zone.

Transport minister, Alhaji Ibrahim BIO who was apparently impressed at the port project execution, described the project as viable and self-sustaining adding that the project has given hope on the prospect of the Nigerian maritime industry .He was optimistic that it would assist the country in the race to meet up with advanced maritime nations of the world

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/maritime/article01/indexn2_html?pdate=080409&ptitle=Lekki%20port%20commences%20operation%202012,%20to%20employ%203000%20Nigerians

hopefully the project takes off and Lagos state can finally have its own port (the other ports belong to the Federal Govt.)