Clarion Shipping West Africa Ltd. has launched Nigeria’s first fully indigenous container shipping line, marked by the arrival of the MV Ocean Dragon at Tin Can Island Port, Lagos, on Thursday, July 3, 2025. This Panama-flagged vessel, built in 2014 with a capacity of 349 TEUs, aims to transform cargo transport across Nigerian and West African seaports while supporting the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) initiative.
The MV Ocean Dragon, acquired by Clarion, is designed to enhance short-sea shipping, offering a reliable alternative to high-risk road transport for moving goods within Nigeria and across West Africa. Vice President Bernadine Eloka emphasized its role in advancing regional trade, stating, “Rather than struggling to move goods from Lekki to Onitsha, Port Harcourt, or Calabar by truck, we now use sea transport.”
The vessel will operate on trade routes connecting Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Egypt, and South Africa, fostering intra-African trade. Eloka highlighted its alignment with Nigeria’s Cabotage Law, which reserves domestic shipping for Nigerian-owned vessels, urging stricter enforcement to boost local investment and job creation.
Clarion’s initiative addresses the inefficiencies of road-based container movement, enabling port-to-port delivery in just two days for up to 349 containers. The company’s compliance with regulatory bodies like NIMASA, NPA, Customs, and NIWA underscores its commitment to establishing a robust indigenous shipping industry.
Managing Director of Clarion Suncity Terminal Logistics Ltd., Mustafa Mohammed, outlined ambitious plans to rival global shipping giants like Maersk and MSC. He revealed that Clarion has secured bookings for 1,300 export containers, addressing delays and container shortages that have long plagued Nigerian exporters.
Clarion is also expanding its fleet with a new high-capacity vessel of 1,780 TEUs, set to arrive soon, which will connect Liberia, Togo, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Nigeria. Mohammed noted, “With Clarion, cargo can now move from China to Lagos and then across West Africa efficiently,” aligning with AfCFTA’s goal to bolster African-owned shipping.
The MV Ocean Dragon’s 60-day journey from China to Nigeria faced challenges, including language barriers, technical issues, and an engine fault in Malaysia. Adaeze Eloka, Managing Director of Clarion Group, celebrated the vessel’s 70% Nigerian seafarer crew, stating, “It’s time to give our seafarers the platform they deserve.”
This crew, flown to China for the maiden voyage, reflects Clarion’s focus on indigenous growth by employing local talent and using Nigerian containers. The company aims to serve underserved markets, particularly in northern Nigeria, unlocking new business opportunities across West Africa.
Clarion’s launch comes amid Nigeria’s rising oil rig count, now at 44, as reported by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). This economic momentum underscores the strategic timing of Ocean Dragon’s operations to support Nigeria’s growing trade demands.
By prioritizing efficiency, local employment, and regulatory compliance, Clarion is poised to redefine Nigeria’s maritime industry. The MV Ocean Dragon represents a bold step toward reducing foreign dependence and establishing Nigeria as a key player in intra-African shipping.
