As part of an effort to reposition Ports and Terminal Operators (Nigeria) Limited (PTOL), an indigenous firm operating in the nation’s maritime industry for optimal performance, the company has put in place a new management team.
Headed by Mr. Denrick Moos as its managing director, PTOL is a multi-purpose terminal and has twice the berth length of WACT. PTOL runs efficient warehousing activities and handles wheat, salt, bitumen, frozen fish and containers, with Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) seeking its services weekly.
Moos, a South African maritime expert, has 21 years experience in the sector. A former South African naval combat officer, Moos is familiar with the Nigerian maritime terrain.
He had worked at West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) in Onne as Chief Operating Officer, as well as at Ports and Cargo Handling Services as Managing Director. Aside, the new MD was once a key player at the APM Terminals Headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands, playing leading roles in project teams in Brazil, India and Denmark.
A holder of a Master’s degree in Maritime and Transportation Logistics, Moos who has also undertaken and completed numerous maritime related courses and trainings foresees PTOL becoming more competitive within a short space of time.
A press statement from the company also named Chief Dennis Okafor, Chief Mike Nwaukoni and Chief Emmanuel Okonkwo as members of board of directors. Barrister Efiota Ephraim was appointed as General Manager with effect from April 1, this year.
Like Moos, Ephraim is a known figure in the Nigerian maritime sector. He has put in 35 years with The Nigerian ports Authority with his last two positions being Port Manager of Tin Can Island Port and General Manager, NPA Liaison Office in Abuja.
He brings much-needed stakeholder engagement skills to PTOL due to his extensive network in both government agencies, as well as shipping lines and agencies. He holds a B.SC in Economics, an M.SC in Transport as well as an LL.B degree.
The PTOL equally appointed Mr Glenn Nilsson, a Swedish national as Assistant General Manager, Technical Services. He has the responsibility of superintending over all plants and machineries involved in cargo handling.
Nilsson has considerable experience in managing technical departments within terminal operations. Before this appointment, he was the General Manager, Technical at APMT Gothenburg in Sweden. He has also worked in numerous African countries including Liberia, Angola, Mauritania, Senegal, Kenya and Nigeria and has been instrumental in either starting up workshops in these locations or streamlining technical activities in those countries.
The statement noted that since Nilsson’s arrival in PTOL, the availability of container handling equipment has increased by 400 per cent, with the company now having more than sufficient equipment available to meet customers’ needs.
Also appointed into the management team is Mr Macpherson Nwaukoni, who is the Assistant General Manager, Operations, effective from September 1, 2019. Nwaukoni was the Managing Director of MIGFO Group Nigeria Limited, a renowned LLC company which has operated in the International Freight Consignments and Maritime Cargo Industry in the last 32 years.
He had worked as Executive Assistant to the Managing Director, PTOL, for some months, before his latest appointment.
A statement from the company quoted Moos, the managing director having expressed appreciation to the board of PTOL for his appointment.
He lauded the potentials of PTOL, recalling “of his days at WACT, where he helped transform from a terminal that had to operate on bridge loans just to pay salaries, to where it was generating revenue to the extent that multi-million dollar investments and creating so many employment opportunities for Nigerians.”
