Lagos — Modant Marine Plc, a Port Harcourt-based indigenous boat manufacturing company, is at the Lagos International Trade Fair to explore both local and foreign markets for its products.

The company's General Manager, Mr Kwabean Achampong, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday that the company was into building, leasing and marketing of boats.

Achampong said that the company was engaged in after sales maintenance of boats.

According to him, the company builds a logistics boat which can take 16 passengers in about four weeks, while it builds a water bus, a boat model which carries about 40 passengers in 12 weeks.

Achampong said that the water bus, which could serve as a ferry, could be useful to some corporate organisations, especially in Lagos, to ease traffic congestion on the roads.

He said the cost of the various boats depended basically on specifications by the buyers.

He said that the company was also building crew boats, patrol boats and landing crafts which could carry two vehicles as well as escort vessels for oil companies.

He, however, said that his company's major challenges were inadequate funds and the reluctance of Nigerian boat operators to patronise indigenous companies.

According to him, boat operators prefer to import boats from abroad even when boats produced locally by indigenous companies are of similar quality.

He recalled that the company started operations in 1988 with many expatriates, adding that it had become fully indigenised in the last three years.

Achampong said that the company was now seeking to develop an export market in West Africa and beyond by targeting Ghana, Equitorial Guniea, Cameroon and other countries.