The number of vessels calling at Calabar Port has increased by 40 per cent since the end of the first quarter of this year.
The Port Manager, Calabar Port, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Olotu, disclosed this to the Punch correspondent on the sidelines of a quarterly stakeholders’ forum organised by the Nigerian Ports Authority on Thursday.
She said, “The liquid bulk has increased due to the fact that for now, Calabar becomes the only outlet to make distribution to other locations that are connected to this axis. Ours is the only port that opens to the North East of Nigeria; so they are using Calabar as a base to distribute petroleum products.”
According to her, consultations with port management and investors had resulted in the exportation of 54,530 metric tonnes of cement from the Calabar Port to the Port of Tema in Ghana by Lafarge Africa in the fourth quarter of 2017.
She added that the voyages had been consistent, with an estimated 100,000 tonnes of cement expected to be exported from the Calabar Port every quarter.
“We have been able to address the challenges. We are working on the harbour craft, the channels, port access roads and security.’ Olotu said
