MARGARET CHIDERA
As completion of the Lekki Deep Sea Port draws nearer, management of the Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Limited is set to take delivery of three new ships to shore (STS) cranes and 10 rubber-tyred gantries (RTG) from Shanghai, China, ahead of commencement of port operations.
The STS cranes can service the largest container vessels, which are capable of carrying more than 18,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).
The specifications of the STS cranes include a fixed rail line at the quayside to access vessels and reduce delays moving across bays, with a lifting capacity of 65 tons in twin-lift mode, 50 tons in single lift mode and 85 tons under the hook beam.
The cranes can reach out from the quayside up to 61 metres with an air draft of 52 metres and a span of 30.5 metres beneath the crane.
Managing Director of the Lekki Port, Du Ruogang, said the equipment, which left Shanghai on May 17, 2022, will be the most sophisticated port equipment to be used in Nigeria and will completely change the port landscape, putting Nigeria at the forefront of container operations in West Africa.
Ruogang asserted that Lekki Port would become a catalyst and an economic enabler for Nigeria with this development, adding that the equipment will make Lekki Port operations fast, efficient and seamless.
Chief Operating Officer of Lekki Port, Laurence Smith, stated that an STS crane generates 300 lux of light, making the surrounding environment appear like daylight so that the stevedores can work safely at night.
He explained further that a personnel elevator is installed for operators’ comfort and safety.
He further revealed that the cabin is fitted with an ergonomic seat so that the operators can find the most optimal comfortable position for themselves, adding that cameras are strategically placed around the cranes to support operations from different angles.
“From a customer and stakeholder perspective, the STS can more than double the performance of any port crane in Nigeria today, thereby positioning the Lekki Port as the future preferred gateway into Nigeria and beyond. Lekki Port is indeed a game-changer,” he said.
