INTELS Acquires Largest Crane in Africa

• INTELS Acquires Largest Crane in Africa

INTELS Nigeria Limited has acquired a 600 tonnes Liebherr crane worth USD6 million (N1.83 billion).

The acquisition of the crane, the largest at any port facility in Africa was in line with the company’s commitment to making Nigeria the hub of Oil and Gas logistics services in Africa.

The crane has since been deployed at the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone.

Conducting journalists round the sprawling Onne Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone on Thursday, Head, Administration and General Services at INTELS Nigeria Limited, Mr. Chibuisi Onyebueke, said the crane, which is sitting on 104 tyres is capable of lifting heavy cargoes of about 208 tonnes with a 17-metre boom outreach.

“The crane is characterised by rapid and efficient handling of loads up to 208 tonnes. With its extensive boom outreach, the LHM 600 is the ideal cargo handling solution for the type of very large and ultra large ships operating across the world today,” he said.

According to him, the huge crane, fondly called ‘Big Mama’ at the port, was acquired in addition to several other existing cargo handling equipment at the Onne Federal Lighter Terminal and Federal Ocean Terminal. He said the crane is being operated by Nigerians who had been trained abroad on its handling and maintenance.

Onyebueke said INTELS, working with relevant agencies of the federal government, has established an Oil and Gas Service Centre at the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone to serve as a single loading location for the Oil and Gas industry in sub-Sahara Africa.

The Oil and Gas Service Centre, he noted, has improved the efficiency of personnel in the industry while saving downtime on offshore rigs 
and providing quick response in case of emergency.

He explained further: “It also provides the opportunity for better physical monitoring and follow up of equipment in stock, modularisation of areas and better control of supply vessels for the Oil and Gas industry,” even as he said INTELS tailored its services, facilities and operations to support activities in the Oil and Gas industry.

“The highly technical facilities required to support Oil and Gas related operations also require special equipment and highly skilled manpower to manage such operations which therefore led to higher level of investments by INTELS relative to competitors,” he said.

Furthermore, he said that INTELS Nigeria Limited remains fully committed to maximising, in a sustainable manner, the use of Nigerian human resources, materials, equipment and services in its operations without compromising the company’s values, quality, health, safety and environment standards.

“As a Nigerian company, INTELS is committed to maximising the participation of Nigerian businesses and local contractors in its operations in compliance with the Nigerian Oil & Gas Industry Content Development Act 2010,” he said.

The signing into law of the Nigerian Oil & Gas Industry Content Development Act otherwise referred to as the “Local Content Act” in 2010, he said, was in line with the expectations of INTELS, “as the issue of Nigerian content has been central to the company’s development strategy.”

He said the company has actively supported its host communities through supporting sustainable projects and comprehensive corporate social responsibility programmes.

INTELS, he added, has committed billions of naira to road construction, provision of street lights, ultra-modern markets/lock-up shops and ICT centres in various parts of the Niger Delta. Other projects undertaken by INTELS include school renovation; provision of civic centres, youth secretariats, jetty restoration, women empowerment projects and medical outreach.

INTELS Nigeria Limited provides comprehensive integrated logistics services to the Oil and Gas Industry. It operates in major government-owned port facilities and Free Zones in Nigeria, among others.

At present, INTELS is leading the Nigerian Oil and Gas logistics support industry as a core logistics service provider through its skill, efficiency, integrity and quality of service.

The organisation has 30 years of experience in ports management and terminal logistics support services in shore bases across Nigeria, applying the “One Stop Shop” solution under its Oil Service Centre Concept.

In 2006, INTELS was awarded concession by the Federal Government to operate Terminal A (Federal Ocean Terminal) and Terminal B (Federal Lighter Terminal) at the Onne Port Complex, which houses the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone. It also operates terminals in Warri, Calabar and Apapa ports.

INTELS has received several local and international awards and commendation. Recently, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) – which is a government agency under the Federal Ministry of Transportation – commended INTELS Nigeria Limited for its huge investment and commitment to the development of port operations in the country.

The Chief Executive Officer of NSC, Mr. Hassan Bello, said INTELS deserved the recognition because of its defining role in the provision of integrated logistics services in the Nigerian maritime, oil and gas industries.