By Esther Onyegbula

The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) has called on APM Terminals, to ensure that all tariffs’ headings are commensurate with services rendered to importers and clearing agents.

The Executive Secretary of the NSC, Mr Emmanuel Jime, stated this during his official working  visit to the terminal in Lagos recently.

Jime said: “Part of our core mandate has to do with cost and we are very concerned about how we can modernise cost and we are urging APMT to partner with us to put down the cost of services.

“All cost and tariff headings must be justified as the Shippers’ Council gives approval. When all tariffs headings are tied to services rendered, it will ensure that arbitrary charges are avoided.

“Services need to be rendered adequately and timely so that it will impact on the cost and business.”

On examination of containers, Jime said “when a request is made for examination of the container, the request should be granted within 36 hours maximum, and this is because we don’t want a delay.

“It is also consistent with what we have told all the terminal operators that boxes should be positioned at least 36 hours after the request.

“We urge the terminal to create a window without obstruction into the terminal and there should be adequate information on space for empty containers management of return of empty container.”

Jime also encouraged the terminal operator to ensure that they are fully digitalised for a lesser human interface which he said would guarantee more success.

Appreciating the management of APM Terminals, Jime said, “We seek your cooperation as usual so that we can sustain the laudable improvement in service delivery. We run an open policy and we all are available to ensure that investment made here benefits not only the investor but everyone.”

Responding, Klaus Laursen, the country manager, APM Terminals, Apapa, told the visiting executive secretary that cargo dwell time that had gone down towards the end of last year had started rising again.

He stated: “The increase in dwell time was due to traffic on the port access road, poor documentation, and Customs procedures. When dwell time goes up, it affects their operation because they are always unable to discharge fresh cargo from vessels at berth.”

Explaining further, Laursen, said, “We need to keep in mind that we need to facilitate trade the more and we have lots of rooms for improvement.

“However, the cargo dwell time has started increasing, though, we make money through storage charges but when the terminal is filled and terminal can no longer take more cargoes than we won’t be able to discharge vessels anymore.”

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