By Samson Echenim
As part of efforts to help decongest Nigeria’s premier seaport, APM Terminals Apapa says it is offering a 50% discount on 1,290 longstanding containers that have been in the terminal for 365 days to 4000 days.
West Africa’s largest container port, in a notice to port users, said it decided to slash charges on overtime cargoes in support of the efforts of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to decongest the port to enable the discharge of new containers.
The port manager stated, “To assist importers, and in support of government policy, the terminal will offer 50 percent discount on the storage charges for any of the listed containers delivered until 15th March 2020. Full tariff will be payable from 16th March 2020.”
Recently, APM Terminals Apapa had urged importers to ensure prompt delivery of their containers to avoid buildup at the port as a result of increasing volumes.
“We have recently experienced a substantial increase in volume of containers arriving through the seaports. This positive development can be attributed to various positive government policies such as improvement in the implementation of Ease of Doing Business policy, the Agriculture Promotion Policy and closure of land borders to curtail smuggling activities amongst others.
“However, if these containers are not cleared by customers soon enough, this volume increase could lead to high yard density which could impact berthing of vessels resulting in vessel queues. We are anticipating further improvement in throughput ahead of Christmas and year end.
“We therefore urge all the relevant stakeholders and the wider port community to ensure timely delivery of containers in an effective manner without compromising government’s policies and procedures. The terminal is willing to offer discount for longstanding containers commensurate with dwell time and therefore urge customers with containers in this category to take advantage of the offer and take delivery of their containers,” the leading terminal operator had said in a statement issued in November 2019.
