AJOKE PHILIP
The managing director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko, over the weekend, said the authority will introduce another electronic call-up system to rival the Eto call-up system.
Recall that truck owners have been calling on NPA to unbundle Eto by creating another platform that will rival the current setting.
Speaking to BUSINESSINSIDERNG, during an interactive session with journalists, the NPA boss explained that there are plans to introduce another app to serve as a competitor for the current system.
He said, “One of the major complaints by stakeholders against Eto is extortion. Yes, the Eto app itself once in a while suffers glitches, but the major complaint is extortion. That’s why we are having collaboration with the Lagos State Government and the Police Commands to checkmate the menace of illegal checkpoints.
“I have said that we are likely going to create a second app because we want to establish competition and give people alternatives aside Eto,” the NPA MD stated.
The NPA Boss, however, described automation as the backbone of ports’ efficiency, thereby, stressing the need for full automation of port activities devoid of manual interference.
“Automation will be the backbone of efficiency in the port because it will improve revenue, and I am really interested in getting this done.
“We have achieved some level of automation but they are all in silos and we need to integrate them.
We need to also put something that everyone will log into, the shipping lines and others.
“We need to copy things that are being used in other ports, things that will add value and that is, the Port Community System,” he said.
According to him, the Port Community System will enable all stakeholders, the NPA, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, the shipping companies and the Nigeria Customs Service, among others to log into the system for the exchange of data and processes.
“The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has mandated all ports to deploy such information technology and software by 2025, our target is actually 2023, maximum early 2024,” he said.
Bello-Koko said that the NPA had been trying to deploy the Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) for over 10 years and had reached out to the Nigeria LNG Ltd (NLNG) for collaboration.
“We need to get qualified people to deploy VTS because they are very few.
IMO gave us some companies but some of them did not meet our requirements or did not want to work with the NPA.
“However, NLNG has a VTS in Bonny even though it is not robust and we don’t have a problem collaborating with them on that.
We need them to do the survey and put the nodes and sensors around.
“It is one of the most important things in the maritime industry around the world.
One should be able to have visibility of the ship and it will be a tremendous achievement,” he said, stressing that the NPA would ensure the usage of the application when introduced to improve speed and leakage blockage.