"Shipping Agents Now Engage Their Wives, Relatives For Supply Jobs", Chandlers Raise Alarm

By Tosin Aribisala

A former president of the Nigeria Licensed Ship Chandlers Association, Anthony Ebuehi has lamented the rate at which shipping agents are using their wives and relatives to take over their job.

A ship chandler is a person or organization that deals in supplying required commodities including food items and groceries to a vessel and its crew.

While speaking with one of our correspondent , Ebuehi noted that the association in a bid to get rid of unprofessional personnel in the sector will liaise with marine purchasing and supply in order to carry out a one-year diploma program for certified members which can be a distance learning.

He also added that the organization would sensitize the public about the profession where major stakeholders in the industry would be invited to give speeches. 

It should be recalled that the association in a report recently raised an alarm over how shipping companies are shunning their service while patronizing neighboring countries.

Pruning the association, Ebuehi said, "To put Ship-chandling on good footing in Nigeria, we want sensitize trained and certified members for the modern-day supply. We are doing this to stamp out nonprofessional that brings us a bad image.

 "The profession is now all-comer Affairs for indigenous shipping companies and shipping agents, who now engage their wives and relatives for supply job, thereby depriving the License chandler.

“To stamp out these unwelcome developments, we are going to have a seminar to sensitize the general public about the profession by inviting some stakeholders such as the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian Shippers' Council (NSC), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and all shipping companies.

"To this end, we are planning to liaise with marine purchasing and supply for one diploma program which can be distance learning. The course will cover the key topics required by today’s purchasing professional giving insight into current trends affecting the industry and developments in the Art and science of maritime purchasing," Ebuehi stated.