APMT Commissions Five Grantries

The management of the APM Terminals, operators of the Apapa port Friday commissioned five Rubber Tyre Gantry (RTG) cranes, deployed to boost container handing operations at the port.
Apart from the five RTGs, another five, which brings the total to 10, was purchased from Konecranes, a Finland-based world renowned designer and manufacturer of lifting equipment in ports and harbor operations. The cost of the 10 RTGs was put at the sum of $17.5million. The remaining five is billed to arrive the port in October this year.
APM Terminals’ Chief Commercial Officer (COO) Mr. David Fletcher, who spoke with reporters at the company port facility at Apapa, said the huge investments in equipment upgrade is consistent with the company’s policy commitment to develop the Nigerian port and bring it to global status.
The APM Terminals permanent standardized examination bay located inside the terminal, was also shown to the press, even as officials of the company stated that physical examination of container boxes will soon commence, while the temporary one used before this time with noticeable few challenges owing to ongoing construction will be phased out, and the area used for stacking.
According to Fletcher, “the current examination bay was improvised for temporary use while we worked on the actual examination bay, which is the permanent one. The construction of the permanent examination bay has been completed and it will be put to use soon”.
Reporters were taken round the training centre of the company, where workers receive regular training on the job, including safety and security operations as well as basic literacy training for the personal, mental and intellectual upliftment of semi-literate staff.
The Apapa Port Manager, Nasir Mohammed who commissioned the equipment expressed satisfaction with the development being made by APM Terminals, noting that APMT is synonymous with Apapa Port. He urged them to continue with the good job they were doing.
In his words, Mohammed said, “We believe in what APMT is doing to encourage Apapa port, and we will continue to partner with you. APMT is synonymous with Apapa port whether you like it or not”.
“We hope that by the second quarter of next year, all issues surrounding your operations in the terminal would have been a thing of the past”, he said.
Commenting on the features of the new cranes, Mr. GodspowerOjobor Roy, the company’s chief crane supervisor said, “This Konecrane RTG is fast, the seat is very comfortable, it allows for safety and increased productivity”.
Another Nigerian crane operator, George Idem said, “The Konecranes have given our terminal a face life. I am happy about this development as an RTG operator”.
The highlight of the event was the demonstration of the equipment, which carried out handling operations, using a number of container boxes before reporters and other guests present at the occasion.