UNILAG Students Express Satisfaction Over Field Trip To APMT Apapa, Eko Support Services

No fewer than thirty five students from the University of Lagos , Professional Master of Logistics and Supply Chain Management  , have expressed satisfaction over the visit to some  terminals at the Lagos Ports Complex (LPC) Apapa.

The tour embarked upon by the students was to boost their practical knowledge on maritime operational activities in furtherance to understudy the peculiarities of port operations.

As part of the excursion exercise , the Master class students from UNILAG, visited APM. Terminals Apapa and Eko Support Services Limited respectively.

Assistant Registrar, Institute of Maritime Studies UNILAG Akoka ,Ahmed Akinola lauded APMT Apapa for the high level standard of facilities on ground adding that students were better informed about modern day port operations.

The Assistant Registrar further also commended  students for the field trip , saying the excursion would further help  them to express themselves better on maritime related activities.

He also called the new Minister of Marine / Blue Economy to look inward and promote academic activities through regular  excursion for maritime students locally and Internationally, noting that the Industry has the potentials to employ millions of students from maritime studies  and other transport related fields.

While addressing the students  about operational activities of the facility, Terminal Manager, Eko Support Services Limited, Chris Mbonu, said cargoes available at the terminal are of diverse purposes.

Mbonu told the students that  the terminal operator handles cargoes professionally, adding that  Eko Support is a multipurpose terminal and not a container terminal.

He said the terminal is deeply involved in real time operations and it is privately owned, saying ” The terminal operator is always busy with cargo imports ”

The Terminals  Manager added that Eko Support Services Limited has a total space of  72,000 square meters .

During the tour at APM Terminals Apapa, representatives of the port concessionaire highlighted some salient points on how operational activities were carried out by workers and the technicalities involved on cargo movement.

According to Olaleye Adesola of APMT Apapa, who took students round the facilities, noted that the terminal  is structured through automation and cargoes are tracked digitally.

He said the purpose of automation is aimed to enhanced seamless operations in line the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and International best practices.

On her part, Governor of the department, Oyewole Olubukola Titilayo expressed satisfaction of the field trip adding that the trip would help improve their knowledge of the course

 

According to her, the trip.was initiated by one of the class mates who is a staff of one of  the terminals

 

She submitted that the students were able to see practicals of what they have been studying in the classroom.

 

“Last semester, after our physical class, we had a gathering at the Lagos front, and we deliberated on where to go for this semester, one of us who work here suggested that we should come here.

 

“It is just a form of social gathering for us.

 

“We were able to learn how they operate in Eko Support Services terminal because it was my first time. I was able to see how trucks come in and they made us understand that they are basically Oil &Gas logistics terminal and they also told us how they do their loadings, how they receive vessels and the likes.

“We have been reading about all these activities and I can as well Google and see but seeing it physically, meeting with the Base Manager and the questions that we asked there, is entirely different from the normal class activities,” she stated.

Also speaking, one of the students, Oluwatoyin Esther Oyeleke when asked what government should do to encourage more participation of younger generation to embrace maritime studies, said that the government has done a lot in that regards but added that there was room for more.

The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) chieftain further lauded efforts of NIMASA and other government officials for encouraging participations in the studies of maritime related courses especially at the University of Lagos.

She noted that: “Government has been doing a lot and that’s the reason we are here today is part of what government has done.”

On his part, Coordinator of the Field Trip, Abilawon Oluremi Solomon said the tour was initiated to expose the students to industrial and practice knowledge about the maritime sector.

Abilawon said the tour was based on how students can get first hand knowledge on how the terminals operate and to be properly informed about maritime activities.

He stressed the need for students to constantly engage themselves in field trip adding that the initiative will further expose them to better understanding on the industry operates  aside classroom activities.

He stated that “Am into this  course to have logistics knowledge and to understand the logistical issues. Am better informed and more educated with this field trip and the system we met at the terminals are quite impressive” .

 

 

By Roland Ekama