Seaport stakeholders resent rising demurrages, charges

The key stakeholders in the shipping industry under the backing of Concerned Freight Forwarders and Transporters (CFFT) have shown their dissatisfactions on the rising demurrage charges imposed by the shipping companies and terminal operators across the nation’s ports.

The operators also complained about the rising cost of logistics, alleged extortion, illegal charges, delay at the terminals and gridlock at the ports.

He said, ‘’The contrived congestion in the terminal or lack of space has resulted in the inability of our designated trucks to gain access into the terminal to load.

‘’This unfortunate scenario can last for several days or weeks. At the same time, we are battling to access and load our cargo containers, the shipping companies will keep charging demurrage for a delay that is not caused by us but by the terminal operators who fail to make their terminals accessible for easy flow of logistics.

“Furthermore and henceforth, we will not accept progressive demurrage from any shipping company as the same has been outlawed by the Federal Government.”

Omenogor listed container deposits, holding bay, placing a lien on cargo, continued harassment of transporters and illegal container transfer charges by shipping companies as the challenges confronting operators in the maritime industry.

According to him, the group consists of top professionals such as licensed freight forwarders, importers/exporters, truck owners and logistics providers who have organized themselves irrespective of their various professional affiliations to bring an end to the alleged illegal policies of shipping companies operating in the Nigerian maritime industry.