Lagos ports are expected to witness a surge in maritime activity between July 1 and 10, 2025, with at least 13 vessels scheduled to berth, delivering over 2,700 containers, 550 used vehicles, and a crude oil consignment exceeding 265,000 metric tonnes.
This is based on data from the Nigerian Ports Authority’s (NPA) daily shipping position, which tracks vessel movements across the country’s seaports.
The vessels are set to arrive at Lagos’ three major port complexes—Apapa Port, Tin Can Island Port, and Lekki Deep Sea Port—highlighting the city’s central role in Nigeria’s trade ecosystem and the country’s continued reliance on containerised goods, used vehicles, food imports, and industrial inputs.
Container imports
Four large container vessels are expected at the Lagos ports during this period. SEASMILE, operated by Maersk, will call at APM Terminals in Apapa Port, carrying 720 full container loads (FCL).
At Tin Can Island Port, MSC DYMPHNA, MSC JOHANNESBURG V, and ALGECIRAS EXPRESS will berth at the Tin Can Island Container Terminal (TICT), delivering 400 FCL, 480 FCL, and 700 FCL, respectively. Together, these ships will bring in a total of 2,300 FCL containers into Lagos.
Used vehicle shipments
In the roll-on/roll-off segment, two vessels will deliver a combined 550 used vehicles to Tin Can Island Port. SILVER GLORY is expected at Fivestars Logistics Terminal, offloading 150 vehicles, while GREAT ABIDJAN will berth at the Ports & Terminal Multiservices Ltd (PTML) terminal with another 400 units.
Crude oil delivery to Lekki
One of the most significant cargoes scheduled for early July is the arrival of HORTEN, a crude oil tanker expected to berth at the Dangote Jetty within Lekki Deep Sea Port on July 2. The vessel will deliver approximately 265,171 metric tonnes of crude oil, likely destined for processing at the nearby Dangote Refinery.
- This development comes amid broader reports of increased crude imports by the refinery. Nairametrics had earlier reported that the Dangote Oil Refinery is set to take delivery of at least five million barrels of U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude in July. The refinery recently awarded tenders for around 161,000 barrels per day (bpd) of U.S. crude for July delivery.
According to reports, Vitol will supply two million barrels, Socar (Azerbaijan’s state oil company) another two million, while Glencore will deliver the remaining one million barrels. Final volumes may vary, depending on additional spot market purchases made by the refinery.
Bulk and General Cargo
Lagos ports will also receive substantial volumes of bulk and general cargo across various terminals. At Apapa Port, the vessel SPRING LOTUS is expected to discharge 55,750 metric tonnes of wheat at the Apapa Bulk Terminals Ltd (ABTL) terminal.
- At Tin Can Port, MV ENDEAVOR and VENEZIA will deliver 25,902 MT and 38,200 MT of wheat, respectively, at the Josepdam Port Services terminal, while ASTURCON, also at Josepdam, will bring in 5,000 MT of malt.
- In terms of general cargo, MED LIGURIA will offload 11,074 MT at Niger Dock, located on the Apapa axis, while JOY LINE will handle 13,026 MT at the PTML terminal in Tin Can Port.
In total, Lagos ports are expected to process more than 148,000 metric tonnes of bulk and general cargo during the first 10 days of July, reinforcing their role in supporting Nigeria’s food security and manufacturing supply chain.
More insights
Although the NPA’s full shipping schedule lists 16 vessels scheduled to berth across Nigerian ports between July 1 and 10, 13 of these vessels are headed to Lagos. The remaining three are expected at Calabar and Onne Ports.
With port terminals operated by APM Terminals, TICT, Josepdam, Fivestars, PTML, Niger Dock, and Dangote Jetty, and global shipping lines such as Maersk, MSC, Grimaldi, Hapag-Lloyd, and others facilitating deliveries, Lagos remains at the centre of Nigeria’s seaborne trade.
The expected flow of containers, vehicles, bulk food cargo, and crude oil demonstrates Lagos ports’ strategic position in meeting the country’s consumer, industrial, and energy demands.
