Ports: Shippers Accuse Terminal Operators of Imposing Additional Costs Over Inadequate Spaces
LAGOS PORT
*Charges Shippers Council to lobby for establishment of Maritime Court
By Francis Ugwoke
The Shippers Association Lagos State has cried out over increasing costs of doing business at the Lagos ports as a result of illegalities being perpetrated by shipping service providers.
The Council said this was impacting negatively on trade facilitation with consequences on the final consumers in the country.
President of the association, Evangelist Leo Ogamba said shippers are being compelled to pay for the inefficiencies and inadequacies of shipping service providers.
Ogamba told SHIPPING DAY that the situation has gotten to a point where the federal government should establish a Special Court to deal with maritime cases without much delay.
He said such court will address issues of illegalities by any shipping service provider,
He disclosed that lack of spaces for terminal operators has created additional costs to cargo owners as against what happens in other climes.
According to him, cargo owners now suffer “for the failure of terminal operators to deliver their containers for physical examination, loading or for scanning”.
He accused the shipping companies of contributing 60 percent to high cost of doing business in Nigeria.
He added, “Contract of affreightment that shipper enters with Carrier is based on port to port within the meaning of International Commercial Terms (INCOTERM). The current practice of transferring shipper’s containers outside the port of discharge without the consent of the importer is unethical practice which contravenes Customs procedure which stipulates that consignee has to show consent by filling Transire. This underhand practice unconscionably causes additional financial obligations to shipper who pays for transfer charges, double handling charges and high truck fares depending on the distance of the bonded terminal from the port of discharge”.
He called on the Nigerian Shippers Council to organize more training for consumers of port services particularly cargo owners or shippers.
Ogamba equally called on the ports economic regulator to encourage shippers who have not registered with shippers Association in their states of business to do so to enable shippers to have strong voice in the shipping industry.
On how to further address the issues of illegalities in the ports, Ogamba urged the NSC to “lobby for establishment of a maritime Court where cases of under-hand practices by providers of services will be prosecuted without delay”.
By Francis Ugwoke
The Shippers Association Lagos State has cried out over increasing costs of doing business at the Lagos ports as a result of illegalities being perpetrated by shipping service providers.
The Council said this was impacting negatively on trade facilitation with consequences on the final consumers in the country.
President of the association, Evangelist Leo Ogamba said shippers are being compelled to pay for the inefficiencies and inadequacies of shipping service providers.
Ogamba told SHIPPING DAY that the situation has gotten to a point where the federal government should establish a Special Court to deal with maritime cases without much delay.
He said such court will address issues of illegalities by any shipping service provider,
He disclosed that lack of spaces for terminal operators has created additional costs to cargo owners as against what happens in other climes.
According to him, cargo owners now suffer “for the failure of terminal operators to deliver their containers for physical examination, loading or for scanning”.
He accused the shipping companies of contributing 60 percent to high cost of doing business in Nigeria.
He added, “Contract of affreightment that shipper enters with Carrier is based on port to port within the meaning of International Commercial Terms (INCOTERM). The current practice of transferring shipper’s containers outside the port of discharge without the consent of the importer is unethical practice which contravenes Customs procedure which stipulates that consignee has to show consent by filling Transire. This underhand practice unconscionably causes additional financial obligations to shipper who pays for transfer charges, double handling charges and high truck fares depending on the distance of the bonded terminal from the port of discharge”.
He called on the Nigerian Shippers Council to organize more training for consumers of port services particularly cargo owners or shippers.
Ogamba equally called on the ports economic regulator to encourage shippers who have not registered with shippers Association in their states of business to do so to enable shippers to have strong voice in the shipping industry.
On how to further address the issues of illegalities in the ports, Ogamba urged the NSC to “lobby for establishment of a maritime Court where cases of under-hand practices by providers of services will be prosecuted without delay”.
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