The Kaduna Inland Container Depot (ICD) has been declared as a port of origin and final destination by the government. This declaration is contained in a government gazette No. 60 Vol.102 of 26th of May 2015 titled Kaduna Dry Port Declaration Order, 2015.
The gazette which was signed by the former Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, has now upgraded the Inland Containers Nigeria Ltd (ICNL) Bonded Terminal, Kaduna to the status of a Dry Port of Origin and final destination.
The newly designated port with the capacity to handle 29,000 containers per annum, according to the gazette, shall be a Customs port in accordance with the provisions of the Customs and Exercise Management Act, Cap. C 45 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2014.
It is expected that the Kaduna Inland Dry Port would have all the pre-requisites of an international port including Customs, Immigration, port health officials and government security agencies.
The Inland Container Depot (ICD) and Container Freight Stations (CFS) were initiated by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council aimed at bringing shipping services closer to the hinterlands and the landlocked neighbouring countries with the purpose of decongesting the ports.
The other approved ICD/CFS in the country that are yet to be designated as port of origin and final destination are located in Ibadan, Kano, Jos, Aba, Funtua and Maiduguri.
By Pita Ochai
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