At Last, Freight Forwarders Embrace PTML N10,000 Access Card Fee

By ZION Olalekan |

Despite vigorously opposing the terminal operator initially, freight forwarders operating at the PTML Terminal at Tin Can Port have embraced the N10,000 port access card fee introduced few years ago by the owners of the terminal; Grimaldi Shipping.

One major association that kicked against the N10,000 was the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF).

Its founder, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam had severally called on the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to stop PTML from collecting the money and restricting some freight forwarders from accessing the port.

But speaking with Nigeriamaritime360.com, Chairman of the PTML Chapter of NAGAFF, Mr. George Okafor defended the terminal operator, saying that the N10,000 access card is justifiable in order to restrict miscreants from strolling into the port at will.

He said that only those who have genuine business at the port should be allowed in at any point in time.

Okafor however argued that ideally, it is the duty of NPA to issue port access card at its port gate, but that PTML was not built by NPA and that NPA does not have any structure inside the PTML Terminal.

Speaking on why NAGAFF changed its stance on the fee, the PTML Chairman said, “Eventually we have noticed that it is for security reasons, they cannot just open the terminals for everybody to go in, for you to have the access card now, you must have an agency.

“Here, there is no NPA gate where you can say you want to obtain port pass, and NPA does not have any gate here, that is why they don’t issue card for anyone here”.

Okafor also raised an alarm over the delay experienced in punching their entries and taking delivery of their cargoes at the terminal.

Contrary to provisions of the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) which provides for agents to begin processing their documentation even before the arrival of the vessel, he said freight forwarders are forced to wait until a ship discharges its content before punching their entries.

He noted that the PTML Terminal by design is divided into sheds 1 to 4. He said shed 4 is at Mile 2 terminal.

He however said an officer in shed four cannot release a cargo that has been punched at shed one. He noted however that before the advent of Nigerian Customs Integrated System (NICIS) this was the usual practice.

Speaking, Okafor said “With NICIS, things are supposed to be very easy, but because of the various sheds we have, it has made it that you cannot punch your job until the ship is fully offloaded and you know where your consignment is, this leads to delays because normally, before your ship comes, you get your document punched, so that when the ship finally arrives, you would go and do examination.

“Once you punch, NICIS would tell you the officer that would release your job, so you don’t need to start going around and looking for officer to release your job, now you must wait and know where the consignment is located before you punch”, he said.

He said that the current challenge affects mainly vehicles, containers but that trucks and truck heads are not affected.

According to him, the leadership of the association has taken the case to the Customs Area Controller, Mrs F.O Dixon for action. He said the challenge is something that customs needs to iron out with PTML Terminals.

He said “Customs should harmonize it that you can punch jobs anywhere, but go and release it anywhere the cargo is allocated to”.