The APM Terminals terminal has said evacuation of cargoes through rail is not only cost efficient by also environment friendly.
The Terminal Manager, APMT, Apapa, Steen Knudsen, said this while speaking with journalists in Apapa, Lagos.
He said the construction of the new standard gauge line by the Federal Government was key to supporting the Nigerian economy, as it would provide a cost-efficient means of moving cargo inland from the port.
The Apapa APMT boss said that the move is also in line with the company’s agenda of making its entire supply chain eco-friendly, by using the synergies of moving more cargo in one go.
Knudsen said the terminal had deployed international best practices in facilitating trade in Nigeria.
He said, “While a narrow-gauge railway line connecting to Kano is in operation at the terminal, the construction of the new standard gauge line by the Federal Government will further enhance the delivery of cargo through the rail.
“Once the standard gauge becomes operational, we are hopeful that a lot more cargo will move on the rail which will also help our green agenda because moving cargo on rail is much more environmentally friendly than by trucks.”
He said the terminal had invested a lot in the area of trade facilitation to ensure that importers enjoy seamless services.
Knudsen added that, “A berthing window has also been provided at the terminal for both deep sea vessels as well as barges, to help create more efficient flows of containers, thereby removing costs and waste from the supply chain.
“In addition to that, we continue to expand our barging traffic so we can also penetrate the areas both east and west of the terminal and ensure that our customers can take possession of their cargo in areas that are closer to their warehouses.”
Knudsen said the terminal in 2021 introduced a berthing window service to enable consignees take prompt delivery of their cargo, by eliminating waiting time for vessels.
