The Maersk-Calabar: Crew Feedback and Vessel Data

On January 12, 2017, the container ship 'Maersk Calabar' made an urgent call to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in La Réunion, seeking immediate medical assistance for its captain who was suffering from severe abdominal pain. Following the instructions given by MRCC, the vessel altered its course towards Réunion and navigated towards the port of Le Port. At 4:50 p.m., a helicopter was dispatched and successfully executed a medevac operation, retrieving the captain and transporting him to a hospital in Saint-Denis for further care. After ensuring the captain's safety and receiving medical attention, the 'Maersk Calabar' resumed its journey from Lagos to Singapore, continuing its vital trade route.

In a recent statement, Comptroller Charles Eporwei Edike, the Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Apapa Area Command in Lagos, denied allegations that certain containers were exempted from mandatory examinations by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). Apapa Quay, noted for housing Africa's largest container terminal, is overseen by the Apapa Area Command, known for its significant cargo traffic annually. Rumors suggested that exemptions were granted under directives from the Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Inde Dikko Abdullahi. However, in an exclusive interview with THISDAY, Edike firmly rejected these claims, asserting that no such containers exist under his jurisdiction. He deemed the allegations as unfounded, malicious, and misleading, emphasizing that there have never been any directives from the Comptroller General to bypass inspections. Furthermore, he specifically addressed an article that claimed certain containers should not be inspected, reiterating that the details were inaccurate. For instance, the MAERSK Calabar/CMA-CGM vessel, which docked at APM Terminal Apapa on May 15, 2015, with 473 containers, did not include any of the aforementioned bill of laden numbers cited in the allegations. Edike also clarified that another vessel, Grande Cotonou, referenced in the claims, had never docked at Apapa port. These statements aim to uphold the integrity of the NCS and ensure transparency in customs operations.

The world's leading container shipping giant, Maersk Line, has proudly introduced one of its latest 22 West Africa MAX (WAFMAX) container ships, honoring the vibrant Nigerian city of Calabar, which serves as the capital of Cross River State. This momentous event took place on Monday during a grand naming ceremony at the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, as reported by Nigerian Daily Independent. The ship, boasting a remarkable capacity of 4,500 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), was officially christened by Mrs. Obioma Liyel-Imoke, the wife of Cross River State's governor, who has taken on the role of the vessel's Godmother. Designed to tackle the unique demands of West African ports, these new WAFMAX ships are recognized for their size as the largest container vessels capable of servicing the region. Furthermore, they stand out in terms of efficiency, utilizing 30 percent less fuel per container than the industry standard for the Asia-Africa trade route. Dive deeper into this story at http://www.independentngonline.com/DailyIndependent/Article.aspx?id=37631.