The CMA CGM Group, a world leader in maritime transport, and Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise (LPLE), the promoters of Lekki Deep Sea Port, announce the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement to operate Lekki Port’s future container terminal. Located in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, the future Lekki Deep Sea Port will be developed, built and operated by LPLE, a joint venture enterprise led by the Tolaram Group, the Lagos State Government and the Nigerian Ports Authority, CMA CGM said in its press release.
As the container terminal operator, CMA CGM, through its subsidiary CMA Terminals, will be responsible for marketing, operations and maintenance of the container terminal at Lekki Deep Sea Port.
Speaking about this development, Navin Nahata, Chief Executive Officer of Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise, described the signing of the agreement with the CMA CGM Group as another step in the right direction towards the actualization of the Port, which would become the deepest port in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Federal Government of Nigeria recently pledged its total support to the Lekki Port project during the official flag-off ceremony by President Muhammadu Buhari who was represented by Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.
The choice of Lekki Port, which will aid the reduction of congestion in the port of Lagos, is fully in line with the CMA CGM Group’s development in the region. Lekki Port’s container terminal will allow the Group to develop its presence into West Africa’s first consumer market and will serve as a transshipment hub, especially to neighboring countries like Togo and Benin.
Upon completion, the container terminal will be equipped with a 1,200-meter-long quay as well as 13 quay cranes and will have a capacity of 2.5 million TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units). With its 16-meter depth, it will allow the Group to deploy ships with a capacity of up to 14,000 TEUs. Operations are planned to start end of 2020.
The CMA CGM Group is highly committed to the development of port infrastructure on the African continent where it is the second largest shipping company. The Group is particularly present in Sub-Saharan Africa with a network of 75 agencies and nearly 1,400 experts. In the region, the Group operates 30 services thanks to a fleet of 87 ships calling at 248 ports.