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NIMASA blockade: LNG shipment suffers 21% drop at half year

By on September 13, 2013

Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) has recorded the highest commodity export handled in Nigerian ports with a tonnage of 8,462,535 metric tons (MT), according to a half year 2013 commodity analysis of cargoes handled at Nigerian ports, released by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). The figure excludes crude oil terminals.

Total LNG shipment handled within the period under review, however declined by 21 per cent from the 10,811,166 MT recorded in the corresponding period of 2012. This is attributable to blockade placed by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) on Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG’s) loading bay over tax evasion, amounting to over $60 million.

Besides, a total of 1,028,843MT of refined petroleum product was exported through the ports while condensate export amounted to 151,146MT.

The report also noted that in the general cargo export category, Agricultural products handled at the ports amounted to 394,238 MT, while containerised cargo came on top in the first half of 2013 with a tonnage of 752,275 MT.

According to the half year report, the tonnage of containerised cargo imported into the country stood at 5,470,379MT, just as total tonnage of construction materials imported into the country amounted to 262,565MT, and agricultural products, 154,917MT within the period.

For the dry bulk cargo, Wheat Grain/Offal recorded the highest import in this category with a total of 1,913,511MT in the half year report performance review.

Cement import stood at 821,982MT, Fertilizer recorded 492,538MT, and sugar import amounted to 715,255MT while bitumen and Rice imports contributed 18,827MT and 90,159MT respectively.

There has been a significant reduction in the dry bulk import, elicited by the federal government’s policy to encourage local production.

In liquid bulk cargo, Nigerian ports handled 8,790,980MT of refined petroleum product import, while Bitumen witnessed a total import figure of 135,935 MT in the period under review.

 

 

[Daily Independent]