By Andy Esiet, Calabar
Worried by the shallow dept of Calabar Port, stakeholders in the oil sector have been charged to collaborate with the Federal Government for the dredging of the Calabar channel.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) made the call on Monday after an intensive inspection visit to tank farms operating in the Calabar depot which the port plays a major role as the oil marketers have identified dredging as one of their major concerns limitating the supply of petroleum product to their facilities at the jetty.
Reports have shown observed that the dept of Calabar Port has remained as low as six metres for a long time instead of the required nine metres and above and several efforts have been made on dredging yet no good result.
However, the Executive Director, Distribution System, Storage, Retail and Infrastructure of the Authority, Mr Ogbugo Ukoha, said that if dredging is carried out it would allow for bigger vessels to berth with petroleum products with a view to meet the storage capacity of the depot.
Ukoha disclosed that the peak consumption period for petroleum product in Nigeria was between November to January, hence the need to stabilise and ensure a seamless supply and distribution of the product.
He said, “the draft of the Calabar channel was one of the concerns raised by oil marketers; due to this, they have to wait for the tide to come high before bringing in their vessels. With dredging, we can do more so that bigger vessels can come in because they have the capacity for storage.
“The oil marketers have also raised the issue of multiple regulation by different agencies; we will look into the issues and engage with other stakeholders because the Petroleum Industry Act is very clear, we are domiciled as the priority. It is very important that we do this and be mindful of the outcome of the pump price on the end users,” he said.
Ukoha, who was accompanied by the Field Operations Controller, Calabar Field Office of NMDPRA, Mr. George Ene-Ita, and other staff, inspected the Dozzy oil and Gas depot and Ammasco petroleum chemicals company, Hyde tanks and terminals, North West Petroleum, Fynfield Petroleum, Sobaz oil, Alkanes Petroleum and Gas jetties and others.
