The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has implemented the Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) for the Apapa container shuttle.
The Lagos Railway District Manager, Mr Jerry Oche, made the disclosure on Saturday.
Oche said that with the step, cargo transportation would be more efficient in and out of the port.
The SOPs are designed to help in fighting corruption and making the ports more viable for economic activity through the application of technology.
Key highlights of the SOPs for terminal operators are broadly similar and include standards for vessel reception, booking and positioning of containers, terminal delivery processes, invoicing and container return.
According to Oche, the SOP is between the NRC and APM Terminals, Apapa with Shippers’ Council as the supervisor.
“We have implemented the Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) for the Apapa container shuttle. The SOP is between NRC and APMT with Shippers’ Council as the supervisor.
“We intend to do two trains daily from the port.
“SOP is just a guidance for both the NRC and APMT. It states what APMT has to do for the operation to be efficient.
“It will bridge the communication lapses that exist between us.
“Now, each party knows what its roles are and it will make the whole operations to be more efficient. Based on the SOP, we are to do two trips every day – moving cargo in and out of the port,” the NRC boss said.
Oche, who expressed the corporation’s commitment and determination to decongest the ports, said that the NRC would not leave any stone unturned to change the narrative at the port through the freight services.
“A train is made up of 19 wagons and each of the wagons can take one 40 ft or two 20 ft containers.
“If we are doing 40 ft, that is 19 trucks off the road and if it is 20 ft, that is 38 trucks off the road per trip. We are starting with two trips per day and we hope to increase it in no distant time.
“Containers will be discharged at Alagomeji Terminals in Yaba and Ijoko Terminals in Ogun State.
“Trucks can then be deployed to both locations to collect containers and return empties, which the NRC will convey back to the port,” he added.
He said APM Terminals constructed the port’s rail line and connected it to the national line in 2013, to provide alternate to road transport for customers.
The NRC announced the suspension of the Lagos-Ogun Mass Transit Train Services (MTTS) on March 25 to contain the further spread of COVID-19 in the state and the country.
The MTTS is yet to resume.
