Again, NPA threatens to sanction shipping coys over empty containers

Abiola Seun |

For the umpteenth times, the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has threatened to sanction shipping companies who failed to provide holding bays for handling of empty containers.

The Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman, was quoted in a press statement by the Assistant General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, Ibrahim Nasiru, after meeting with the leadership of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), over the proposed strike due to bad access road and other sundry issues.

According to the statement, Hadiza Bala-Usman said failure of shipping companies to remove empty containers at the holding bays will attract sanctions.

She reiterated the directive to all shipping companies to ensure that the size of their respective empty container holding bay is commensurate with the volume of containers they bring into the ports, in line with NPA policy on empty containers.

The statement reads, “management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) hereby commends members of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) for shelving their proposed three-day warning strike scheduled to start on Wednesday, December 9, 2020.”

“The withdrawal of the strike followed several hours of deliberations between the Union and the Management on Tuesday December 8, 2020. In the course of the meeting, Management of the Authority assured members of the union and other stakeholders that the problem of congestion and rent seeking on access roads to the ports will soon become history with the scheduled deployment of an electronic-call up system for trucks in January 2021.”

The NPA boss also stated the management has resolved to commence remedial work on the failed port access road.

“Management is working with the Lagos State Government to provide truck holding bays as part of the implementation of the e-call up system. In the interim, management is liaising with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing for the immediate commencement of remedial works on failed portions of the port access road.

“Management is partnering with the Lagos State Government to deploy law enforcement officers for the maintenance of sanity along the Port Logistic Ring.

“Management reiterated the directive to all shipping companies to ensure that the size of their respective empty container holding bay is commensurate with the volume of containers they bring into the ports, in line with NPA policy on empty containers. Failure to adhere to this will attract sanctions

“Shipping companies are to be responsible for the movement of empty containers from their holding bays to the Port. Consignees are to drop empty boxes at the designated empty container holding bays.

“Management therefore calls on all stakeholders and Port users to go about their businesses as ports operations will continue unhindered.”