Harboursandport.com: Lagos - The Cross Rivers Shippers’ Association,
CRSA has said that the decision by the management of the Nigerian Ports
Authority, NPA to divert vessels that have spent more than four days waiting to
berth in Lagos to eastern ports will curb cargo theft, eliminate delays and
payment of unnecessary demurrage by shippers.
The Cross Rivers Shippers noted that they
have gone through a lot since the congestion in Lagos started, stressing that
the NPA decision will be of great benefit to the nation’s economy.
In a letter to the Managing Director of
NPA through the Calabar Port Manager signed by its President, Mike Ogodo, the
CRSA stated, “This decision is a step in the right direction as it will ease
the pressure on the already over-burdened Lagos port and ensure quick
turnaround times for vessels coming to Nigeria.
“This will also re-invigorate activities
at the near moribund Eastern and Delta ports of Calabar, Port Harcourt, Onne,
Warri, Sapele etc.
“Not only will this move reduce the delays
vessels experience in discharging cargo and the associated effect of delays of
shippers’ cargoes and huge demurrage costs but will also achieve the following:
“1. Reduce the additional costs in
logistics and transportation for shippers in the Eastern and South-South axis
of the country as a significant portion of these cargoes is destined for these
parts of the country.
“2. It will curb the incidences of cargo
theft and losses that shippers experience due to the delays in accessing the
port to pick-up and discharge their cargoes as a result of the congestion on
the roads to the Lagos ports.
“3. This will also curb the incidences of
extortion of shippers/truck drivers trying to access the port to drop or
pick-up their goods. Drivers have been made to pay heavy unauthorised fess in a
bid to access the port to discharge or pick-up goods for shippers with
attendant cost transferred to the shipper.
“Shippers from Cross Rivers State and
other Eastern states have had a torrid time in trying to ship their goods
through the Lagos Port as the additional costs in transporting their cargo to
Lagos costs up to N400,000 per trip in some instances in addition to another
cost of sometimes up to N250,000 within Lagos to the ports.”
CRSA expressed the hope that the move by
the NPA will be sustained and that it will not be limited to one or two ports
only. The CRSA stressed that none dredging of the Calabar port channel, noting
that it has been neglected for almost 12 years.
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