HArboursandport.com: Lagos --- The Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, has announced
a 10 day suspension on Maerskline shipping, Cosco Shipping, APS and Lansal over
their failure for provide holding bay for their empty containers.
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| Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Usman Bala |
This led to protracted strike by truck drivers
at the Lagos Port Complex Apapa resulting in the grounding of port operations for
several days.
NPA stated that the suspension takes effect from
tomorrow.
A statement signed by Assistant General
Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, Isah Suwaid, noted that “the
suspension follows the Authority’s checks which revealed that the four
companies have failed to fully comply with the directive to acquire and operate
holding bays as they have either failed to utilise their holding bays at all or
do not have adequate capacity to handle the volume of containers that they deal
with.
“Some of these companies have also been found
to import a larger number of containers than empty containers exported thereby
making the country a dumping ground for empties.
“These conducts have contributed to the
persistent congestion around the Lagos Port Complex and the Tin Can Island
Port, spreading to other parts of the Lagos metropolis where truck drivers with
no immediate business at the ports now park their trucks.
“At the expiration of this suspension, the
Authority will review the level of compliance to its directives and determine
further actions.
“In addition to this, the NPA will henceforth
embark on a regular compliance check of the operations of holding bays by shipping
companies and terminal operators and defaulters will be sanctioned.
“Stakeholders have also agreed that while the
call up system through the ports management as advised by shipping companies
will remain in force, personnel of the Nigerian Navy will discontinue the
issuance of call ups, even though they will remain on the traffic management
team.
“Finally, the Authority wishes to state that
the planned introduction of a new service charge called “Empty positioning fee”
by shipping lines is illegal and should not be honoured by any operator.
“The Authority is grateful to all
stakeholders for their cooperation,” Suwaid concluded.
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