Cargo Dwell Time at Seaports Rises To 20 Days

Abiola Seun

The cargo dwell time at the Nigerian seaports has risen to 20 days due to congestion at the nation’s seaports.

Long cargo dwell times in ports are a critical issue in Sub-Saharan African countries since they result in slow import processes and are bound to dramatically reduce trade.

However, while Cotonou port had 14 days for cargo dwell time; Ghana’s Tema Port currently has 15 days dwell time, while Lome has the lowest port dwell time of nine days.

Speaking recently, the executive secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Barr. Hassan Bello, however, said the council is working assiduously towards reducing the cargo dwell time which currently stands between 18-20 days.

“What Nigerian seaports is doing now is about 18-20days cargo dwell time, we want to reduce it. Also, ship turnaround time is also 4.2 days and we want to reduce it further. We want to attract more cargoes here not only for imports but also for exports and that is the whole issue.”

He said that the agency is working towards ensuring that the shipping companies are competitive as the council is making Shippers have choices.

“The NSC has three cardinal issues, the efficiency of the ports and we are measuring the efficiency. We are also concerned with the competition not only inter-port competition within the region, but intra-ports competition.”

“We want the concessioned terminals to be competitive because we believe this will come and make the customer to have choices. We are also concerned with the cost of doing business”

“The cost is somehow not always realistic that means we are working at disadvantaged. A shipper will not wait in the port he wants his cargo to be offloaded and so it is an economic decision the cost comes into play”

Bello blamed the use of one mode of transportation as the reason why the roads leading to the ports are dilapidated.

“However, there are logistics problems and one of it is the Infrastructure. The roads to the port are a challenge and the government is now working on constructing all the roads leading to the ports. And the government is also going to introduce rail services into the ports”

“The problem is using one mode of transportation; the ports have been over stretched beyond their capacity. They are handling more cargos.”