06 March 2012, Sweetcrude, LAGOS – Twenty vessels laden with petroleum products are waiting to discharge their contents at Lagos ports, according NPA’s shipping position released on Tuesday in Lagos.
The NPA said 67 other vessels were laden with bulk cargoes like rice, general cargoes, bulk malt, bulk wheat, bulk urea and empty containers.
According to the shipping position, nine of the 20 ships contain petrol; six are with diesel; three with aviation fuel; one contains ethanol; and two are with kerosene.
Meanwhile, Chief Remi Ogungbemi, the Chairman of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners said that the 20 vessels of petroleum products would ease the long queues of motorists at filling stations in Ogun.
Ogungbemi also said that the association withdrew its services at the ports because officials of the Inter-Ministerial Implementation Committee on Port Approach Roads were towing its vehicles over alleged unauthorized parking.
He said that at times, it took between three and four days, to get a truck into the ports because of the long queue of trucks waiting to enter.
He said that the withdrawal had, however, been suspended, but urged the government to expand the road network leading to the ports.
Ogungbemi also suggested that there should be holding bays for trucks, pending when the drivers’ were needed.
He said the challenge of reducing traffic jams on access roads to the ports was too enormous for the Lagos State Ministry of Transport alone to handle.
Ogungbemi said that the Federal Government should collaborate with the state government to ensure free-flow of traffic on the routes.
Lagos ports were deserted by truck owners on Monday as the drivers withdrew their services over what they described as “unbearable actions”.
