WASHINGTON: Importation of the premium motor spirit, popularly known as fuel appears to have improved drastically, with an unprecedented 339,320 metric tons (MT) in just two weeks since the federal government announced a liberalised policy for the product’s importers.
A document of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) showing details of ships expected at the seaports and jetties in Lagos, showed that of a total of 27 ships expected between June 15 and 30, 2016, six are laden with fuel carrying 168,932MT of the product. Meanwhile, the shipping position also indicated that another seven vessels have been awaiting berth at the various jetties in Lagos with a total of 170,388MT of fuel.
The ships are expected at the Single Buoy Mooring (SBM), Atlas Cove Jetty (ACJ), New Oil Jetty (NOJ), Bulk Oil Plant (BOP) and the Petroleum Wharf, Apapa (PWA). Other vessels expected at the ports within the period are laden various cargoes. Ten of the vessels are loaded with containers and are expected to be received by the country’s largest container terminal, APM Terminals, Apapa.
ENL Terminal would receive two vessels carrying a total of 7,612MT of fish, a far cry from what the country used to import, possibly due to the fish quota policy to discourage massive importation of the product. However, smuggling of the product continues unabated at the land borders, as fish importers resort to using ports of neighbouring countries. The NPA shipping data also showed that three vessels carrying a total of 121,700MT of bulk sugar and two ships laden with a total of 90,274MT of bulk wheat are expected at the GDNL and ABTL.
