In a historic milestone forNigerias maritime industry, the first-ever Nigerian-owned container vessel, M.V. Ocean Dragon arrived last Wednesday at Tin Can Island Port, Lagos, carrying over 350 containers.
Speaking at the reception ceremony, Mrs. Benedine Eloka, Vice President of Clarion Shipping, highlighted the vessels arrival as the result of a long-term vision made possible through the collaboration of financial institutions and government agencies.
According to Eloka, Ocean Dragon is set to ease long-standing challenges faced by Nigerian importers and exporters, particularly those related to the movement of cargo within the country and across the West African sub-region.
The vessel, with a capacity of 349 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units TEUs, is designed to offer a reliable alternative to trucking, which often causes delays and logistical bottlenecks, she said.