Apapa Customs Ramps Up Security, Targets 200 Containers per Hour with 3 State-of-the-Art Scanners

ZAINAB JUNAID

The Apapa Port Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is taking significant step to boost security and efficiency with the installation of three-state of-the art scanners, targeting 200 containers examination per hour.

According to a statement signed by the Command’s spokesperson, Superintendent of Customs Tunde Ayagbalo, the giant stride is part of the NCS Modernisation project.

The statement reads that Customs Area Controller (CAC) Oluwadare Oshoba urged port users and stakeholders to brace up for more seamless trade process, stressing the Command is ready to surpass expectations as the scanners would be examining 200 containers per hour.

While describing the quayside location for the scanners as an operational masterstroke, the CAC said no consignment will escape high-tech driven, non-intrusive inspection at Apapa port as the scanners would be strategically positioned close to the berthing area.

The CAC who commended CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi for his relentless commitment to NCS modernisation also urged Officers to prepare for intensive train the trainer sessions as the next phase after installation would be training ahead of full deployment.

He also advised NCS ICT officers to improve on capacity building for tier one and tier two levels of maintenance of the scanners, which are first of its kind in the West and Central Africa subregion.

Comptroller Oshoba described the feat as a great milestone about to happen and advised port users, particularly importers, exporters and their agents to uphold the tenet of sincere declaration as all false declarations and concealment would be exposed by the technology.

Expressing gratitude to the Comptroller General of Customs, the Area Controller said, “I want to on behalf of our officers and men, thank the CGC for leading us through an era of revolutionary customs modernisation. The coming of these scanners is one of the many great fruits we shall be harvesting from the modernisation project.

“Our partners, the Trade Modernisation Project (TMP), have assured us that the installation would last for 45 days, and we are expecting two units of scanners from them with an additional one from APM Terminals. These three scanners would ensure that there is no downtime for cargo examination here and reinforce our position as the number one destination for port activities in Nigeria”.

All hands must be on deck to see to the full realisation of this dream which would save time, increase revenue, enhance national security, promote trade and prevent port related crimes from the earliest point of entry,” The CAC said.

Also, TMP Team Lead, Aliyu Suleiman, at the site, highlighted details of the scanners as produced by Nuctech in China.

He described them as the NUCTECH FS6000 with a high-throughput, non-intrusive, drive-through X-ray inspection system for cargo and vehicles. He added that the scanners use high-penetration dual-energy X-ray transmission technology to inspect trucks and containers in one pass at speeds up to 15 km/h, allowing for non-stop inspection at busy locations like ports and border crossings.

According to the expert, the system provides detailed images that help identify concealed contraband and dangerous materials, and its compact, modular design allows for easy relocation and integration with other systems like License Plate Recognition (LPR) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) In addition to the three fixed scanners about being installed, APM Terminals has also promised to provide a mobile scanner to serve as support in the event of unexpected downtime.