Shippers Council Launches Online Registration Platform For Port Service Providers

Harboursandport.com: Lagos - The Nigerian Shippers Council, NSC has launched its online registration portal to ease the registration process for regulated port service providers and users.

Speaking at the launch in Lagos, the Executive Secretary/CEO of the NSC, Emmanuel Jime, said that the launch marks a milestone as the Council upgrade from manual registration to a fully automated registration platform.

He said the platform is interactive in nature and therefore eliminates the physical interface.

According to him, “From your desk in your office, you can register your company online without having to visit any Council office as long as you fulfill the requirements and make the necessary payments.

“The registration exercise is in various categories and attracts a token fee as the motive is not to generate revenue. It is mandatory for all service providers and users to register and obtain a certificate of registration before they can be adjudged as legally operating at the nation’s seaports. It is therefore important to register with the NSC to avoid applicable sanctions.

“Registration provides the Economic Regulator a database of service providers that are genuine as well as shippers and other stakeholders operating in our port system. This will enable the industry to operate in a safe and secure business environment and eliminate the challenges of faceless stakeholders in the port system, “he noted.

Also speaking at the event, the Director of the Consumer Affairs Department of NSC, Cajetan Agu, said the benefit of registration includes; being obedient to the law empowering the Council to register operators/stakeholders, eliminating faceless shippers and stakeholders as well as enabling proper control of operators in the industry to eliminate quakes.

Other benefits he said are the provision of industry/professional information to those who have registered, the opportunity to make complaints for the Council's intervention when there is a dispute as well as the opportunity for alternative dispute resolution.