Calabar Seaport ships first ever 7000mt of Cocoa to the USA

The Calabar seaport, Cross River State, Southern Nigeria, has recorded a historic 7,000 metric tonnes of cocoa export shipment to the United States of America, USA, the first time of such cargo since its concession over  14 years ago. The export was handled from the Ecomarine Terminals.

Speaking at the load-out ceremony in Calabar, Governor Ben Ayade, called on the Federal Government to implement the agreement reached with the concessionaires on dredging of the Calabar port.

Boasting that the state was rich in agricultural resources, the governor asserted that the dredging of the port’s channels would be strategic in terms of employment opportunities.

Ayade who was represented by the Commissioner for Commerce, Mrs. Rosemary Archibong, lauded  Starlink Global and Ideal Limited, for  choosing to convey its cargo through the Calabar Port, noting that  it was a plus to the Ecomarine Terminal and Cross River State to have a vessel departing to the USA.

He stated: “Calabar Port is very strategic to the economic empowerment of Nigerians in view of the employment opportunities here. All we are appealing for now, is for the Federal Government to expedite the dredging of the Calabar channel to really kick-start economic activities”.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman, described the development as a sign of better things for the nation, urging other shippers to emulate Starlink.

Usman who was represented by the Port Manager, NPA Calabar, Marie Asan,  said  the authority was pursuing Federal Government’s economic recovery agenda through consistent improvement on service delivery at the nation’s seaports, especially the eastern ports.

She stated that Calabar Port did not fall short of revenue generation, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, an indication she attributed to service improvement.

She said  “the Executive Management of NPA is pleased by this development , as it shows that the strategic measures put in place to make all the nation’s seaports viable and vibrant are beginning to produce positive outcome”.   

The NPA boss informed the audience that the management had introduced an inclusive governance system which  had “brought modest milestones to Calabar Port in the areas of wreck removals, stimulation of container traffic, attraction of flat-bottom vessel traffic, restoration of broken down crafts and more”.

Vang/Hauwa Abu