The European Union has identified Burutu Port in Delta State as a potential international maritime gateway under a proposed Sea Link project connecting Lagos, the Niger Delta and communities along the River Niger.
The EU delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, led by Massimo De Luca, disclosed this on Thursday during a courtesy visit to Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori in Asaba.
De Luca said the proposed Sea Link would establish a route from Lagos through the coastal corridor to Burutu and then along the River Niger through Onitsha to Ajaokuta.
He described Burutu’s location as strategic, saying the existing port could be rehabilitated to support both maritime and inland waterway transportation.
“When you look at the geography of the project, we already have an existing port that may require substantial rehabilitation, but it is strategically located in the Niger Delta. I’m referring to the Port of Burutu,” De Luca said.
He said the project could go beyond using Burutu as a stopover and transform the port into an international gateway for ocean-going vessels and global trade.
“We believe Burutu has the potential to become a fully-fledged international port; this gives the project a dual aspect,” he said.
De Luca said the proposed development was being pursued under the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy and was intended to strengthen coastal and inland waterway transportation.
He said the project would help move some freight traffic from roads to rivers and coastal waterways, while creating new commercial opportunities and stimulating economic activity.
“The first transformative impact of this project is that it will help shift traffic from the roads to the rivers and coastal waterways. It will also create new business opportunities and stimulate economic activity,” he said.
The EU official disclosed that discussions were ongoing on the project’s financing structure, with a consortium expected to participate in the investment.
According to him, the proposed investment would cover barges and port infrastructure, particularly facilities at Burutu.
The proposed initiative builds on existing plans to rehabilitate and expand Burutu Port. The Federal Government had previously approved the port’s rehabilitation and expansion under a public-private partnership framework.
In June, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council also disclosed that the European Union was co-funding the SeaLink project, with technical support from the Port of Antwerp-Bruges.
The council said the Port of Antwerp-Bruges was prepared to collaborate on the rehabilitation and upgrade of Burutu Port as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s coastal and inland waterway transport network.
Receiving the EU delegation, Oborevwori, who was represented by his deputy, Monday Onyeme, welcomed the proposed development and pledged the state government’s cooperation.
The governor said Delta had been discussing the blue economy since the beginning of his administration and was eager to take advantage of the opportunities it offered.
“We have been talking about the blue economy since the beginning of this administration, and we are all very eager to participate in it and enjoy the enormous benefits that the blue economy has to offer,” he said.
Oborevwori said Delta’s extensive network of waterways made the state well-positioned to benefit from increased maritime and inland waterway transportation.
“As a state with an extensive network of waterways, we are ready to provide all the necessary cooperation and support to enable this dream, which is indeed our collective dream, to become a reality,” he added.
He said the participation of the EU and other development partners had increased his confidence in the possibility of developing Delta’s maritime sector.
The governor assured the delegation that his administration would provide the necessary support and cooperation to advance the project.
If realised, the Sea Link could create a major multimodal freight corridor linking Nigeria’s coastal ports with inland waterways towards the Niger River corridor, potentially reducing pressure on road transportation and opening new opportunities for trade and logistics.
