Grand plan to link 10 West African ports

Plans for a second seafreight
service connecting 10 West
African ports have taken
a step forward with the
raising of US$60 million
for West and Central Africa
Sealink Project by the
Nigeria Export/Import
Bank (NEXIM), with
further support expected
from the Economic
Community of West Africa
States (Ecowas).
The objective of the
Sealink Promotional
Company (SPCL) is to
create a profitable private
sector company capable
of delivering excellent
cabotage services to West
and Central Africa coastal
countries on a regular and
reliable scheduled service,
according to the Sealink
website.
It will link 26 countries
with a consumer base of
about 440 million people
and a combined GDP of over
US$700 billion.
A local seafreight service
will boost inter-regional
trade, according to NEXIM
managing director Roberts
Orya.
At present, he says, “for
you to move your goods
from here (Nigeria) to
Ghana, it will take you
about six days by road,
but for you to move your
goods from the same Lagos
to Ghana by sea will take
you 45 to 60 days. They
will first take our goods
to Europe and then do a
transhipment of goods to
Ghana,” Orya said in an
interview with Economic
Confidential in Abuja.
According to Orya, the
service is due to start in
September 2014 with multipurpose
vessels designed for
cargo and passengers.