In a development that signposts readiness to maximise the gains derivable from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) has berthed the first wholly Nigerian-owned container vessel.
The container vessel with International Maritime Organization (IMO) number christened MV Ocean Dragon and owned by Clarion Shipping West Africa Limited, has a capacity of 349 Twenty-Foot-Equivalent Units (TEUs)
A statement by NPA said the vessel boosts a concerted investment drive geared towards reaping the cost and time-saving benefits of short-sea shipping by plying in-country maritime trade routes across Nigeria, and the West African sub-region, and offers an efficient alternative to road transport.
The vessel is scheduled to operate across West Africa and beyond, servicing ports in Nigeria, Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Egypt, South Africa and others, with expressions of interest for business already being established.
Responding to the milestone, Managing Director/ CEO of the NPA, Abubakar Dantsoho said the development is a testament to relentless commitment towards deepening efficiencies required for maximising our Marine and Blue Economy potentials.