NPA Accomplishes Major Milestone With Arrival of First Fully Nigerian-owned Container Vessel
NPA Accomplishes Major Milestone With Arrival of First Fully Nigerian-owned Container Vessel - The Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) successfully berthed the country's first entirely Nigerian-owned container vessel on Wednesday, July 2nd, 2025. The vessel, MV Ocean Dragon, identified by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) number 9508770, is owned by Clarion Shipping West Africa Limited.
With a capacity of 349 Twenty-Foot-Equivalent Units (TEUs), this vessel represents a major step forward in reducing transport costs and enhancing efficiency in maritime trade across Nigeria and West Africa.
The move aligns with NPA's initiative to promote multimodal transport, offering an alternative to road transport while boosting domestic maritime capabilities. The vessel is set to serve ports not only within Nigeria but also in neighbouring West African countries including Benin, Togo, Ghana, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Egypt, and South Africa. The company has already garnered expressions of interest for business operations.
Abubakar Dantsoho, NPA's Managing Director/CEO, emphasized that this achievement demonstrates the agency's commitment to unlocking the full potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and optimizing Nigeria’s maritime and blue economy, as supported by the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola. Bernadine Eloka, Vice President of Clarion Shipping West Africa Limited, described the vessel acquisition as a groundbreaking solution to the challenges of road-based cargo movement within Nigeria.
She highlighted that MV Ocean Dragon will offer a much-needed alternative to traditional road transport, promising faster delivery times moving up to 349 containers in just two days, from port to port.
The vessel’s operation aligns with efforts to reduce Nigeria's reliance on foreign-owned shipping lines while encouraging local investments and job creation through the enforcement of the cabotage regime.
Mustafa Mohammed, Managing Director of Clarion Suncity Terminal Logistics Limited, expressed that the company intends to compete with global giants like Maersk and MSC, aiming to provide more efficient shipping services across Africa. The company has already secured bookings for 1,300 export containers, assisting local farmers and manufacturers in avoiding delays and losses. This development comes shortly after the announcement by NPA’s Dantsoho of a $60 million investment in eco-friendly port infrastructure, marking a new chapter in Nigeria’s content-driven maritime expansion.
