The Managing Director, Hull Blyth Nigeria Limited, Christian Holm, says his firm facilitated the shipment of its containers to Calabar Port to open trade and business activities in the Eastern ports.
He said that the firm was willing to invest in the Port and open up business transactions in the Eastern ports.
The firm, in a statement made available to The Tide yesterday, said the vessel made its first debut at the port on September 22, 2019.
Holm, however, identified undeveloped infrastructure, shallow water drafts, poor road infrastructure and insecurity as factors hindering large vessels from coming to the ports .
“Port complexes outside Lagos have not been upgraded in accordance with modern seaborne trade”.
“This relates especially to containerised trade, where the requirements for sizeable port container yards and related handling equipment are not met,” he said.
The  Managing Director also noted that water depth in rivers to the ports as well as alongside the quays have not been dredged or maintained, thereby giving rise to shallow drafts.
“The shallow drafts prevent access of average sized vessels to the ports, and shipping companies must instead deploy smaller tonnage which cannot provide economic transportation to most shippers.
“Road infrastructure to connect the ports with the importers and exporters’ places of business lack maintenance and may often be unmotorable. Delivery and distribution of shipping goods thus become uneconomic or even impossible.
“Security on waterways and port access roads is critically compromised. Vessels require expensive armed protection to navigate the rivers, and road hauliers can only move during limited day time hours with additional high logistic costs,” he said.
Holm said the investment by Marguisa Lines and the willingness of its customers to use the Calabar Port will be jeopardized, “unless the above key issues are urgently addressed by the government”.

Chinedu Wosu