Following the opening Clarion terminal in Onitsha, Maersk has begun shipping operations from China directly to Onitsha without having to stop by at the Apapa Port in Lagos.

According to shipping schedules made available on the company’s website, the transit time for each shipment is between 53 and 54 days.

A breakdown shows that the vessel first arrives at the Onne Port and then departs for the Clarion terminal in Onitsha.

Operations resumed at the Onitsha Inland Port on Tuesday after the port was commissioned on Wednesday.

Tolu Ogunlesi, the special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on digital and new media, also confirmed the development.

“Maersk is now (starting 2020) sending container ships direct from China to the Onne Port, without the need to first call at Lagos,” he tweeted.

“Now, when the ship berths in Onne, it will be offloaded and the containers going to Onitsha Port will be barged down.

“Let me summarize it. Maersk is now (starting 2020) sending container ships direct from China to the Onne Port, without the need to first call at Lagos.

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“Now, when the ship berths in Onne, it will be offloaded and the containers going to Onitsha Port will be barged down.”

Onyeka, an entrepreneur, said he has been using the port since April, importing goods without using the Apapa port.

I have been using it since April as final destination through Onne

According to Onyeka, it costs the same to ship to Lagos or Onne ports but the process is faster because custom officials inspect the cargo and it is released the same day.

There has been a gridlock at the Apapa port in Lagos that has been made imports and exports difficult.