NPA Boss Takes Steps To Improve Liberian Ports’ Haulage & Logistical Services; Tours Nigeria’s Largest Logistical Company
As part of continued efforts to curb the haulage and logistical constraints facing Liberian seaports, the Managing Director of the National Port Authority (NPA), Dr. Bill Twehway, has concluded a one-day working visit to the facilities of the SIFAX Group of Companies.
According to a dispatch from the commercial capital of Nigeria, Lagos, Dr. Twehway’s tour was based on an invitation from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SIFAX Group, Dr. Taiwo Olayinka Afolabi, to see first-hand activities and capabilities of the conglomerate group that has been handling Nigeria’s port terminal operations, freight handling, haulage and logistics, warehousing, and related logistics intermediary services, among others.
SIFAX Group is a group of companies with investments in Maritime, Aviation, Oil & Gas, Haulage & Logistics, Financial Services and Hospitality. During the guided tours on Friday, April 30, 2021 that began at the company’s container terminal, the company’s Managing Director for Container Terminal, Mr. Paul van der Linden explained that the essence of the container terminal is to reduce the pressure from the main warehouses in terms of reducing the cost of storage.
According to the dispatch, Dr. Twehway and his team were then taken to the company’s off-dock facilities. Located within two minutes’ drive from both Lagos’ Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, the SIFAX-operated massive off-dock facilities demonstrate that the company possesses such an enormous capacity that immensely supports the speedy decongestion of cargoes from the main ports in Lagos.
With four separate berths with a combined length of 795 meters and 13 meters draft, the terminal conveniently handles bulk and general cargo carriers, as well as container and RORO vessels. RORO which means ‘roll-on/roll-off ships’ are cargo ships designed to carry wheeled cargo, such as cars, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, buses, trailers, and railroad cars. They are driven on and off the ship on their own wheels or using a platform vehicle, such as a self-propelled modular transporter.
At the end of the tours, Dr. Twehway expressed his delight over the company’s professional operations. During a chat with the CEO of the company, the NPA boss extended an invitation to him and his team to visit Liberia and possibly tour the four ports of Monrovia, Buchanan, Greenville and Harper respectively and access where his company can intervene in helping to compliment the NPA’s vision of improving adequate service and logistical deliveries.
In response, Dr. Afolabi expressed optimism of his company’s capability to support to Dr. Twehway’s NPA vision of a better port-delivery service, according to the dispatch.
Source : NPA
