TheCable

Lagos state government says the “first” liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered cargo vessel to sail to West Africa berthed at the Lekki Deep Seaport on Monday.

Jubril Gawat, senior special assistant to the state governor on new media, disclosed the arrival of the vessel, named CMA CGM Scandola, in a statement via his X handle.

The LNG-powered 14,812 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) have a length overall (LOA) of 366 meters and a width of 51 meters.

It is also the biggest cargo vessel to berth in Nigeria, days after the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) announced the berthing of Maersk Edrine at the Lekki Deep Seaport.

The Maersk Edrine is 13,092 TEUs, LOA of 367 meters and 48 in terms of width.

Gawat said Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, along with key stakeholders, witnessed the arrival.

“Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other stakeholders today witnessed the arrival of CMA CGM SCANDOLA, an LNG-powered 14,812 TEUs container vessel, has berthed at the Lagos Lekki Deep Sea Port – Nigeria’s most modern and deepest seaport.” Gawat said.

Also commenting on the arrival, Sanwo-Olu said the “CMA CGM SCANDOLA is the first LNG-powered container vessel to sail to West Africa, arriving in Tema before making its mark at Lekki Port”.

He said Lekki Deep Sea Port is the only port in Nigeria with the facilities to receive such large container vessels.

“I’m proud of the Lekki Deep Sea Port, Lekki Freeport Terminal, and CMA CGM for elevating Nigeria’s maritime industry. The key to economic prosperity lies within the Lekki Economic Zone,” Sanwo-Olu said.

CMA CGM is a French shipping and logistics company founded in 1978 by Jacques Saadé. It is the third-largest container shipping company in the world, with a presence in 160 countries and a wide fleet of 593 vessels.