The Lekki Deep Seaport in Lagos has welcomed its first cargo vessel, a marine vessel ‘Zhen Hua 28’ from Shanghai, China.

This came just as the management of the port announced that it would start operation fully on September 22.

In a statement on the port’s Twitter handle on Wednesday, the management said work on the project site has now reached a remarkable 91.86 percent.

The statement read: “We continue to work closely with EPC Contractor, China Harbour Engineering LFTZ Enterprise & Project Management Consultants, Louis Berger International to ensure we stay on track for start of operations by September 22.”

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Port Authority, Mohammed Bello-Koko, who addressed journalists on Friday in Lagos, noted that the successful delivery of the vessel was a testament to the Federal Government’s readiness to place Nigeria on the list of countries with deep seaports across the world.

Bello-Koko said the vessel carried three Super Post Panamax Ship to Shore cranes and 10 Rubber Tyred Gantries.

He said the delivery of the equipment was a demonstration of NPA readiness to take trade facilitation a notch higher, adding that the port was equipped to improve Nigeria’s fortunes in the maritime industry.

The NPA chief said: “For us at the Nigerian Ports Authority, the coming on stream of Lekki symbolises a lot of positives. Apart from being Nigeria’s first Deep Seaport, Lekki Port will also be the first fully automated port at take-off.

“This provides an insight into the path we are already toeing as a management team to govern the operationalisation of not just the forthcoming Badagry, Ibom and Bonny Deep Seaports, but also of the reconstruction of the aged Tin-Can Port where work is set to commence once we secure the necessary approvals from the Federal Ministry of Transportation and Federal Executive Council respectively.”