The People’s Republic of China has pledged to support the Federal Government of Nigeria to drive the inland waterways transport to decongest the port across the country.

China’s consul general, Yan Yuqing, disclosed this during the Breakfast Meeting on Security and New Technologies for Inland Waterways Transportation, organised by Zoe Maritime Resources Ltd., in Lagos on Thursday.

Ms Yuqing said Nigeria had several significant rivers, such as the Niger River, the Osun River, and the Cross River, among others, holding immense potential for inland waterway transportation development.

She said various productive sectors of the Chinese economy currently drive inland waterways transportation and China is ready to partner with the present administration in Nigeria to decongest the port across the country

According to her, the use of the Chinese inland waterways by the productive sector had led to low carbonisation of the atmosphere while there are lots of interplay between manufacturing and waterways transport.

She explained that China adopted the near-perfect waterways transport system and added that the Chinese government had completed the construction of 16 new automatic container terminals, with more than 10 currently being constructed.

Ms Yuging said that China had established transportation links with more than 100 countries and regions worldwide. She said that the size of the fleet owned by China’s shipping companies had reached 249.2 million gross tons, making China the world’s largest ship-owning nation in terms of gross tonnage.

Ms Yuging added, “Waterway freight accounts for China is about 17 per cent of the national freight volume, while its cargo turnover accounts for about 54 per cent of the total turnover in the transportation system.

“The new quality productive forces introduce digitalisation and intelligence into China’s inland waterway and maritime transport systems, and at the same time call for the protection of the oceans while exploiting their resources, so as to achieve sustainable development for all mankind.”

She explained that China constructed 16 Automated Container Terminals, ranking first globally, with more than 10 currently under construction. At present, the mileage covered by the national ENC (Electronic Navigational Charts) is more than 5,700 kilometres.

(NAN)