Nigeria Berths Largest Container-RORO ship
Nigeria today (Monday) welcomed the largest container roll-on-roll-off (RORO) ship to visit its seaports at the Tin Can Island Port Complex, Lagos.
The vessel-MV Great Lagos was received by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola; the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello Koko; and the Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Bashir Jamoh, among others.
Commenting on the development, Governor Sanwo-Olu, represented by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, said the visit of the MV Great Lagos to Tin-Can Island Port was an expression of confidence in the international community in Nigeria. He also commended the Grimaldi Group for its investment in Lagos State.
Also speaking, the Minister for Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, who was represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Magdalene Ajani, said the successful berthing of the vessel testifies to the dedication of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and PTML to enhance efficiency at the port. The Minister commended the Grimaldi Group and PTML for deploying the vessel to Nigeria and for adding value to the Nigerian economy.
In his welcome address, the Managing Director of PTML, Mr Ascanio Russo, said the new ultramodern mega-ship is a marvel of modern engineering and environmental consciousness, stretching 290 metres in length with a beam of 38 metres and a deadweight of over 45,000 tonnes. The ship, he said, can transport 4.7 kilometres of rolling freight, 2,500 car equivalent units (CEUs), and 2,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).
He said MV Great Lagos is the second of the G5-class ships recently launched by the Grimaldi Group and named after Nigeria’s commercial capital, which it has served for many decades.
“Today marks a significant milestone, not only for PTML and Grimaldi but for Lagos and Nigeria as a whole. We have gathered here on board this magnificent ship to celebrate the maiden call of the “Great Lagos,” a majestic vessel in the new G5 class of Ro/Ro multipurpose ships.
“The naming of this vessel is not merely a coincidence; it is a deliberate and meaningful choice that reflects the deep and enduring connection between the Grimaldi Group and the port city of Lagos,” he said.
