…As Lagos Channel Management teams up with NPA for first trial ship berthing!
Oando’s dream of establishing an Island jetty near Ijora, in Lagos may soon be realized as the Lagos Channel Management (LCM) moves into the final phase of widening the channel, a preparatory stage before the first set of vessels may resume trial tests, into the Jetty.
Antelope plough
The jetty which is slated to receive tankers of around 50 ton or more dwt was a brain child of the Oando, in collaboration with the Nigerian ports Authority, ably backed by the LCM, whose major task ws to deepen the area till it attains draft of at least, 12 metres.
Created on genuine vision, determination and technology, the Business Monitor was told that on completion, the jetty guarantee that products vessels could easily moored and offloads, without such vessels coming to land.
”It would be like a small jetty that is constructed on dolphins. So, if a ship is coming, it would be like berthing on Island. So, when a tanker comes, it would be hooked on the dolphin” indicated the Managing Director of the LCM, Mr. Danny Fuchs, who noted that from the dolphins, the engineers would however run pipes, going under the sea bed, from where it heads towards land, until it comes out finally in a designated or desired location.
“However, from the dolphins, there would be pipes, going under the sea bed. There is a special technology on how to drill these pipes; under the sea bed and it goes down the channel sea bed and comes out in any area you want it. The idea was that instead of making a jetty on land, the jetty should be on the water.
“But then, if they have to do that, because the tankers must come, then the area needs to be deep enough. And that is where the LCM comes into it. Initially, the place was not deep enough for what they were looking for, because they were looking at what could easily accommodate a tanker of 50,000dwt. So, it means they actually need a depth of at least 12 metres or more” he stated further, explaining that the area, originally was not part of their dredging target.
The LCM Boss observed that although year 2014 was the scheduled date of completion, their plans had to be modified, enhanced and made more encompassing, to ensure enduring success of the important project.
“All hands are now on deck and everyone is working hard to achieve this. As a matter of fact, we are working towards preparing for a test tanker to come in; because right now, we are almost through” he pointed out.
Pressed to expatiate on the peculiarity of the challenges, Fuchs explained that the nature of the sea bed, particularly, the hard clay which hindered dredging was a major problem; thereby necessitating the involvement of the mother company, the Depasa, which timely came up with the introduction of a special 35 ton puller vessel, to overcome the tricky job.
“The material of the sea bed was not sand. It was not clay. It was a mixture of sand and clay. It is not compact sand. So, it is in some area, very hard sand, in some area, very hard clay and in some other, a hard mixture of the two.
“So, it was for this reason that we invited our technical partner, the Depasa, which now came up with a solution that involves moving away from the traditional solution. The Depasa came up with this idea that was like cutting the hard materials up with a knife; and thereafter a special vessel could either lift the bits in pieces, before another one scrapes it clean!
“The Depasa therefore, bought a special vessel; one of those ones used for special operation of salvaging the Cosco Concordia in Italy. The Cosco Concordia was a huge operation. A lot of companies bought into it; and when the project ended, some of them just didn’t need the equipment again. So, it was while they were selling them off, that the Depasa bought off some of them, especially this remarkable vessel Shawl Buster with strength of 35 ton buller pull.
“The idea was that the Shawl Buster would do something akin to plough first, then digging and scratching up the layers of the hard sea bed; and thereafter, a hopper would come after it, suck it out, before a sweeper would come in and keep it smooth. The name of the sucker is the Antelop. The Antelop came to Nigeria in August 2014 and since then she has been working in this area together with Hopper Dredger named ASTRAL.
“Because of the nature of the current there, the area is a very tricky place; you cannot bring in a big dredger, because the space for maneuvering is small. So, one specially needs some small but flexible dredger. We have been at it; and the unfolding results are very encouraging.
“In the beginning, what we wanted to do was to create something like a channel, for the ships to enter and moored, but now from all indications, it’s like we have even achieved more than that.
“We have a very remarkable working relationship already. The Nigerian Ports Authority, the Oando and the LCM working together, to fruitfully bring in the first set of vessels, beginning with the first test vessel. We are already tidying up all the technical aspects; including connecting the terminal to the land –under the sea bed. The operation is very unique and nice.
Tasked to speak on developments in other sphere of the channel, the Channel Boss gave a description of a channel, optimally working according to desired vision.
“Our on-going programme is running perfectly. We are further deepening some areas. The bigger ships, particularly the WAFMAX (the West African Maximum vessels) are coming, more frequently now; and none of our stakeholders are complaining.
“Some of the vessels are coming at a draft of 13.5 metres, or more. The bigger vessels are coming, impressively sailing in direct from the (Far) East into Lagos, bringing in, full load cargo; and you can conform this from the published reports from the NPA. So, you can also obtain the reports of 2009 with that of 2014 to see the remarkable progress already attained. You can identify this from the number of container being moved, the quantity of bulk and the frequency of ships movement it’s like its more than doubled now. The ships coming in now are bigger, heavier and with increasing regularity.
“Beside, a lot of them like I told you, are also coming directly now, without first sailing into South Africa or Ghana or anywhere else to first lighten up!”, he concluded, praising the port authority and other stakeholders, for adopting other new measures that would ensure that enhanced performance and productivity, especially through laudable investment in information management.
“The Ports Authority and terminal operators are already working commendably towards increased efficiency and productivity. You can assess their vision through investments in electronics facilities. Their ship manifest and information system management is going more electronically now. They are highly proactive and their response-time is remarkable. I am genuinely impressed by all that they are doing now”, Fuchs concluded.
Business Monitor
