APM Terminals Apapa transforming into world-class facility – Country manager

The Country Manager, APM Terminals Apapa, Mr Klaus Laursen, on Sunday said that the terminal was rapidly transforming into a world-class facility. Laursen made this known in a statement in Lagos while reviewing the performance of APM Terminals Apapa in 2021. He added that APM Terminals Apapa, one of the largest container terminals in West Africa, had been on a remarkable transformation journey over the past few years. Laursen said that the company had a strong ambition to become a world-class terminal operator that enables access to jobs, products, foods and medicine for a better life. “Here in APM Terminals Apapa, it is not just about moving boxes around. “We are the heartbeat for the Nigerian local society, we create value for our customers, and we do our best to ensure that our people are here because they want to be here,” he said. Laursen said the transformation of APM Terminals Apapa would create an engaging work environment for all stakeholders. “However, it is a process with many elements that require prioritisation and time to mature and make sustainable changes,” he said. The Terminal Manager of APM Terminals Apapa, Mr Steen Knudsen, was quoted by the statement as saying that now, more than ever, global trade needed efficient port operations and integrated solutions. “We started a new and exciting journey in Apapa last year, a significant amount of new equipment deployed; we are improving our facilities and kicked off a significant training plan for all employees across functions and levels. “This journey is our transformation to international standards. “It is important that we embrace the transformation and accept that it is a multi-year journey, which is closely linked to our values as a company, and our primary objective to create value for the Nigerian economy. “Transformation will offer all of us exciting new challenges, which we can all learn and grow from,” he said. Knudsen noted that the ongoing implementation of APM Terminals global initiatives would provide a strong foundation to deliver consistent and repeatable standard processes. He added that this would help drive the company’s strategy of becoming a world-class terminal operator, enhance seamless flow of operations and increase efficiency. “We have been putting a significant focus on employee engagement, looking into different aspects of our workforce well-being at individual, team and community levels. “The focus has been on encouragement of feedback culture development, team bonding, investment into people’s personal and professional development and grooming our leadership capabilities,” Knudsen said. He said that the company in 2022 would continue to invest in its people, complete the ongoing facility upgrade, strengthen its capabilities and raise its level of engagement with stakeholders. “We are here to lead the container terminal industry forward by continuously improving and transforming the rules of the game,” he said. APM Terminals Apapa is the largest container terminal in Nigeria with an investment of over 438 million dollars in equipment, facilities and other elements of its operations over the last 15 years. The terminal has continued to introduce new innovations to help both shipping lines and landside customers achieve improved supply chain efficiency and flexibility in a cost-effective manner.