MSC Group has entered into a long-term concession agreement with Nigerdock to develop a modern container facility at the Snake Island port terminal in Lagos. The agreement, which spans 45 years, marks a major step in the company’s broader investment strategy in Nigeria’s infrastructure and logistics sector. At the same time, MSC Group finalized an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract with ITB Nigeria Ltd. and DEME Group to undertake the construction of the Snake Island port terminal. The overall investment connected to the project forms part of the Group’s commitment of more than $1 billion toward strengthening Nigeria’s maritime and logistics infrastructure.
The planned Snake Island port terminal will include a 910-meter quay designed to support the use of Ship to Shore (STS) cranes as well as Mobile Harbor Cranes (MHC). This configuration will allow the facility to accommodate both deep-sea container vessels and barge traffic, expanding operational flexibility at the port. The project’s design also incorporates an initial dredging depth of -16.5 m Chart Datum (CD), matching the current depth of the existing navigation channel. In addition to the quay infrastructure, the terminal will feature a 30-hectare yard that has been planned with the capability for future expansion. The container yard will be designed for hybrid Rubber Tired Gantries (RTG), supporting efficient cargo handling and container storage operations.
According to MSC Group, the terminal’s design incorporates scalability features that reflect the company’s confidence in Nigeria’s growing importance within regional and global shipping networks. The Snake Island port terminal is being designed with the potential to increase dredging depth to -18m CD in the future, allowing the port to accommodate larger vessels as shipping demand evolves. This flexibility is intended to support long-term capacity growth and strengthen Lagos’ position as a major maritime hub in West Africa.
Commenting on the development, Diego Aponte, President of MSC Group, said the new facility “will open up opportunities, enhance efficiency, and elevate Snake Island Port as a major global shipping center.”
