By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s largest container terminal, APM Terminals in Apapa, Lagos, recorded a 25 per cent increase in its non-oil cargo exports to 51,000 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in the first six months of 2024 compared with 47,000 TEUs in H1 of 2023.
TEU is a standard measurement used to describe the capacity of cargo containers and ships. It is based on the dimensions of a 20-foot-long container, which is the most common size for shipping containers. One TEU represents the volume of a 20-foot container, and it is used globally to measure shipping volume.
According to the APM Terminals Apapa Manager, Mr Steen Knudsen, in a statement, this marked a continuous increase in its export volumes over the past four years, describing non-oil export cargo as an integral part of the terminal’s business.
“Over the last four years, we have witnessed a steady growth in non-oil export cargo. In 2020, export volumes stood at 53,000 TEUs, in 2021 it rose to 63,000 TEUs and in 2022, 71,000 TEUs,” he said.
“The greatest rise in exports was recorded in 2023 when volumes rose to 94,000 TEUs, an increase of 32 per cent.”
To continue to drive this growth in non-oil exports, Mr Knudsen said that the terminal would soon be hosting its second exporters forum.
He said that the exporters’ forum was a way of supporting the Federal Government’s non-oil export drive.
“The forum is basically a brainstorming session where we rub minds with the various exporting associations in the country on how best to resolve their challenges.
“This is to help them facilitate more efficient movement of exports into the ports.
“More exports out of Nigeria translates to lower shipping costs since the vessels do not go back empty.
“We will continue to partner with our customers and all relevant government agencies in the port to encourage Nigerian exporters in their business,” he said.
He said that the APM Terminals’ Apapa exporters forum was launched earlier in June.
According to him, it provides a safe place for the terminal, its export customers and shipping lines to discuss issues that impede the flow of export cargo into the port.
On his part, the Head of Commercial, Mr Kayode Daniels, said that the maiden forum launched in June was a huge success.
“We got so much feedback from the exporters on how we could collaborate to streamline our processes to improve export volumes.
“With agro-export produce, time is of the essence as prolonged storage in containers could ruin the quality of the cargo before it gets to its destination.
“The feedback we receive in the forum will be used to improve our operations and other associated processes concerned with non-oil exports.
“I believe we can all work together to further strengthen the port’s export process,” he said.