Did you know that the Calabar Port, located in Calabar, Cross River State, is the home of the Eastern Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy, and that it is the longest serving port and the oldest seaport in Nigeria?

Historically, Calabar Port served as an important focus of trade with the outside world for the Eastern States and a natural harbour for the Northern States of Nigeria right from the pre-colonial and colonial times.

The Old Port was privately administered and operated by various shipping companies until December 1969 when the Federal Government took over the inadequate Calabar Port facilities from the erstwhile operators and vested it on the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA).

The development, modernization and expansion of the Calabar port was embarked upon under the 3rd National Development Plan of 1975–1980 in order to upgrade the port facility to cope with the ever increasing demand of the economy. The new port complex was commissioned on 9th June, 1979 and lies 45 nautical mile (about 84km) upstream from Fairway Buoy.

Today, Calabar Port Complex comprises the following: the Old Port, the New Port and the Dockyard; and has jurisdiction over Crude Oil Terminals at Antan, Odudu, Yoho, QuaIboe; and other jetties at NIWA, McIver, NNPC, ALSCON, Dozzy, Northwest. The three Terminals of Calabar Port are operated by world class Terminal Operators; namely: ECM Terminal Ltd, INTELS Nigeria Ltd and Shoreline Logistics Nigeria Limited.

Calabar port’s profile in the oil and gas industry is fast gaining prominences as its business is to make import and export dreams come true by providing efficient port service system that guarantee quick turnaround time of vessels and faster cargo clearance process.

Here are some other additional facts about the oldest port.

Calabar Port, together with the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Onne, are the gateway for sea trade in the South-Southern, South-Eastern part of Nigeria. It is also the nearest port to 16 northern states (especially in the North-Eastern region) in Nigeria. However, most of these states are being serviced by the port of Douala in Cameroun. The port was also designed to serve as quick access and strategic hub to the neighbouring countries like Chad, Niger and Cameroon. The landlocked Niger Republic is closer to Calabar than Cotonou. Yet, the ports in Cotonou is currently being used by Niger as an import/export hub.

The Calabar Port has a siltation rate of over 30 percent. The draught is 5.4 metres on low water and 6.4 metres on high water. All these have reportedly made it extremely difficult for large vessels to call at the port.

The Calabar Port is estimated to be currently generating about N12 billion yearly into the Federal Government coffers. In 2018, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS ) generated N404billion as revenue from the Apapa port in the year 2018. With proximity to 16 northern states, some eastern markets, and the landlocked country of Niger Republic, Calabar Port is strategically located to serve as a hub for the landlocked country of Niger and earn significant revenue for the government.

Several attempts to open up the Port through dredging of its 84 nautical miles channel have consistently hit a brick wall. The first contract for the dredging of the Calabar Port Channel was awarded in 1996 during the administration of late General Sani Abacha. The contract was awarded to a little known Chinese company that showed up for a while and simply vanished. In 2006, the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo awarded the contract again to two Dutch companies at a cost of $56million. Both companies left the contract without completing their assignment. On November 17, 2014, President Goodluck Jonathan awarded another contract to complete the project. The completion contracted was award for N20billion. The contract, which was signed by the NPA, the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) and the Calabar Channel Management, was for the port to be dredged up to 9.8 metres, but it also hit the brick wall. In Nov 12, 2018, the Federal Government arrested the Senator Hope Uzodinma, a senator representing Imo West Senatorial District, and a governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State, for the failure of his company to execute a contract of $12 million for the dredging of Calabar channel.

It is hoped that, when fully functional, Calabar Port would increase the volume of vessel traffic and cargo throughput in the port, decongest Lagos ports and reduce the cost of doing business for Calabar-based businessmen who spend additional transport cost to take delivery of their consignments in Lagos and Onne ports.

SOURCES: 
Autojosh | Nigerian Ports

#penglobalfactfile #CalabarPort