22 January 2015, Lagos – As part of an ongoing programme to upgrade and expand container handling capacities throughout the APM Terminals Global Network, an order has been placed for 16 new advanced rubber-tyre gantry cranes.
While four of the high performance RTGs are scheduled for delivery to the APM terminals in Apapa Lagos, the remaining 12 are destined for the APM terminals Algeciras, Spain. The delivery is expected to be carried out within one year.
A statement by the APM Terminals Director of External Communications, Tom Boyd, said the new 16-wheeeled RTGs, to be manufactured by Konecranes would offer a lifting capacity of 41 tonnes and the ability to maneuver containers into stacks five containers high.
He said, “The four RTGs ordered for the APM Terminals Apapa, the busiest container terminal in West Africa, will bring the total fleet to 14 RTGs. In 2001, a $135m investment and expansion programme was announced for the APM Terminals Apapa.
“The APM Terminals has invested $220m in Apapa since assuming the concession in 2006 and has significantly improved terminal productivity. The APM Terminals Apapa has doubled container volume in the past eight years and has dramatically improved productivity for Nigeria’s inbound containers. It is the largest container facility by the capacity of the three ports serving Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city and business centre.”
Boyd added that the APM Terminals operated a second port facility, the West Africa Container Terminal, located in the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone. West Africa Maximum vessels of 4500 TEU capacity had begun to call WACT, where the APM Terminals had committed to an investment of $30m for port modernization and upgrades.
He said the proposed new mega-port at Badagry, located 55km West of Lagos, would serve all cargo sectors, with a planned 2019 Phase 1 opening of a 775-metre two-berth container terminal, with a 17 metre depth alongside and an annual throughput capacity of 1.8 million TEUs.
In a display of corporate social responsibility has donated goods worth millions of naira to select orphanages and motherless babies’ homes across Lagos.
A statement by spokesperson for the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria, Mr. Boalji Akinola, said employees of APM terminals had visited about four orphanages recently.
He listed places visited as the Compassionate Orphanage, Igando; Citadel of Grace Mission, Igando; Precious Pearl Orphanage, Egbeda and Centre for Destitutes’ Empowerment, Idimu all in Lagos.
Leader of the APM Terminals team and CSR Coordinator, Uduak Ekpo said the visit and donations were aimed at sharing the joy of the season with the children of the various homes.
He said, “Donations are not restricted to the festive season; we give donations as the needs arise but this donation is significant because it is done during the festive period when people are celebrating and sharing with their loved ones.
“We decided to share happiness with them also. They should know that they are also part of the society and must be shown love and treated with care.”
The various homes visited expressed appreciation to the management and employees of APM Terminals for identifying with the underprivileged in the society.
The Proprietress, Citadel of Grace Mission, Christy Iyile, said, “We thank the management of APM Terminals for always showing support for the needy, we thank them for their cooperation. God will pay them back in torrents. They have always been a supporter of the less privileged.”
