The Onne Multipurpose Terminal (OMT) in Rivers State has welcomed the Kota Carum, the largest container vessel to call at its harbours, at the Onne Federal Ocean Terminal (FOT).
Owned by Pacific International Lines (PIL), one of Asia’s leading shipping companies, the Singapore-flagged vessel arrived at the OMT jetty at 10:30am on Wednesday and was safely berthed in berths 9 and 10 within 20 minutes.
The Kota Corum measures 301.43 metres, in length with a carrying capacity of 6,606 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units). During its 55-hour port stay, the vessel will discharge 1,250 containers and load 1,619 containers, including export-bound cargo and empty containers.
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“We are incredibly honoured to receive the largest vessel to ever berth at Onne. Following the arrival of the Kota Cempaka last year,” said Jim Stewart, chief operating officer of OMT, who described the call as a win for Nigeria’s maritime industry.
“It’s a win for the Nigerian economy. The ability to berth larger vessels means more direct cargo movement, reduced logistics costs, and increased revenue for the country,” Stewart said. “Freight forwarders also benefit, as they avoid the extra costs associated with transshipment,” he said.
Direct calls by larger ships eliminate the need for transhipment via smaller feeder vessels, which cut down logistics costs and reduce freight tariffs for Nigerian importers and exporters.
Stewart said OMT’s ongoing modernisation and “strategic investments in terminal infrastructure”, including the acquisition of additional state-of-the-art cranes, have improved the terminal’s cargo-handling capabilities and reduced vessel turnaround time.
“Allowing a vessel of this magnitude to berth at our terminal is a vote of confidence in our capabilities,” he said of the NPA.
Despite the milestone, Stewart urged the Federal Government to increase funding for channel dredging at Onne Port to attract even larger vessels and boost trade volumes.
“We are fully prepared to receive vessels from any shipping line. But for us to unlock the full potential of Onne Port, additional dredging is essential. We urge the Federal Government to support NPA with the necessary resources to deepen and widen the channels,” Stewart said.
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Yakubu Ezra, chief pilot at Onne port, who was also present at the ship’s berth, noted that the Nigerian Ports Authority is “fully equipped, both in training and technology, to safely pilot large vessels into our ports.”
