Nigerian Shippers’ Council’s sub-regional summit to address high cost of importation, exportation

By Samson Echenim

Nigeria’s port economic regulator, the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), says it has concluded plans to host a three-day sub-regional summit to strategise on a common position against high shipping surcharges and charges being imposed on importers and exporters by liner conferences from different continents.

The summit, which begins Monday August 26 and ends Wednesday August 28 will be under the auspices of the Union of African Shippers’ Council (UASC).

According to a statement from the council, a sub-regional workshop on status of Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention) in the UASC member states and a joint standing committee meeting of UASC are part of events in the summit, which will be held at Ladi Kwali Hall, Sheraton Hotel, Abuja.

The council said the events are a collaborative effort involving the UASC United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the Global Shippers’ Forum (GSF).

“The forums are aimed at achieving the following objectives: to provide an avenue for the UASC member countries to strategise and articulate common positions on how to checkmate the multinational shipping service providers/carriers with a view to adopting a collective position for presentation at the Annual General Meeting of the Global Shippers’ Forum scheduled for September in London; and to create more awareness and provide insights to the relevance of the FAL Convention to member countries for domestication and effective implementation,”. the council said.

UASC member states, relevant government agencies, ministries, multi-lateral and sub-regional organisations in the trade and transport sectors, are expected as participants at the West African summit.

Also expected at the summit, are public and private sector stakeholders in infrastructure development, ancillary services as well as donour agencies.