Lekki Port Construction Reaches 50% Completion

Abiola Seun

The management of Lekki Port of the Lagos Free Trade Zone said it has achieved 50 percent completion of the breakwater, which is one of the largest and critical part of the port construction.

Technical Director, Lekki Port, Steven Heukelom, who disclosed this during a media tour of the facility at the Lekki- Ibeju axis of Lagos yesterday said work has reached advanced stage of the breakwater construction with about one-kilometre work done out of the full length of 1.9 metres projected plan.

Heukelom said upon completion, the port would have three containers berth of 680 – metre long and 16.5-metre water depth, one liquid and one dry bulk terminals. He added that it will also have capacity to berth larger vessels of 18, 000 TEUs.

“We are now somewhere almost half way in the break water construction. We have done 900 metres, close to one kilometre and the full length will be 1.9 km. We will also dredge the channels going up, the channels will be around 11 kilometres long before we reach the natural depth of 16.5 metres and then we are good to go.

“In phase 2 in the future, when we will put the liquid jetties, the basin in the channel will be deepened to 19.5 metres. The maximum size of container vessel that we can receive will be 18, 000 TEUs. So, you can understand that having big ships like this in the port will be a game changer,” he said.

The Landside Infrastructure Manager of Lekki port, Kunle Fadunmuye, explained that 30, 000 X-blocks are being produced to reduce the wave impact along the breakwater.

He said, “There are three types of X-blocks, we have the three-meter, two-meter and the five-meter. We are using sulphate resisting cement to build the X-blocks. The three-meter X-blocks are 7.2tons, the two-meter X-blocks are 4.2tons while the five-meter X-blocks are around 13tons.

“The breakwater is like an egg. Its edge comprises of the X-blocks while the core consists of quarry rocks. We will be having the whole 50 hectares of Lekki port floor covered with interlocking blocks. Presently, we are doing what is called the Dynamic Compaction to increase the bearing capacity of the soil.

“The breakwater that we are building here will stand serious wave impact. Aside the breakwater, we are also constructing the groyne to complement the work of the Breakwater. The breakwater gives protection to the harbour areas from the sea waves.

Responding to concerns raised over provision for rail link to the port, Legal Counsel / Relationship Group Director, Adesuwa Ladoja, said plans are being made by the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Federal Ministry of Transportation in conjunction with the Lekki port management to connect the terminal to the rail.

She said, “The Federal Ministry of Transportation has written to us concerning linking the port to the national rail system, and efforts are being put in that direction to ensure we don’t repeat the mistakes of Apapa port,” Adesuwa stated.