EXCLUSIVE: Shippers threaten mass boycott of Ports and Cargo terminal over arbitrary charges

Tayo OLADIPUPO I

Importers and their agents using the Ports and Cargo terminal at the Tin Can ports have threatened to massively boycott the facility owned by SIFAX Group over what they described as unilateral and arbitrary imposition of charges that are strange to them.

According to the angry shippers, the terminal now charges a new fee of N121,000 on 40-footer container and 63,000 on 20-footer container for any importers wishing to transfer his consignment to off-dock terminal other than SIFAX offdock.

The protesting shippers described the development as exploitative and arm-twisting.

The Vice President of Clarion Bonded Terminal, Mrs Bernardine Eloka expressed her frustration over what she called “unilateral introduction of royalty charges on importers by SIFAX Group”

Recall that the Nigerian Shippers’Council Council (NSC) recently appealed to shipping companies to stop collection of container deposit from importers as a means of reducing cost of doing business in the port.

The council had earlier said that terminal opeators have no right to unilaterally increase their charges without recourse to the regulatory authority.

The new charge by the terminal has been described as illegal and capable of causing further economic hardship on Nigerians.

Mrs. Eloka told our reporter on Friday that the charge was not only illegal but higher than what the government collects as royalty.

According to Eloka, she has advised the shippers using the facility to pay the said charge so that their consignments would not incur demurrage but added that if the decision is not rescinded before long, her customers would have no option than to stop patronizing the terminal.

In he words, “The issue of royalty as demanded by Ports and Cargo is what I can tag as something funny because I don’t see reason why Ports and Cargo should say offdock terminals should be paying royalty since they are not the owners of the port and if you look at it, you will see that it is an illegal demand.

“It is not only illegal, it is higher than what the government is collecting as their own royalty. I think it is an unreasonable demand that should not be implemented or supported by the government agencies or port operators.

“They said it is per container going to any offdock other than sifax offdock. For 20 ft container, I think they say it is N63,000 and for 40 ft container, it is N121,000.

“Reactions have been coming from everywhere including the agents, shippers because they keep calling asking for what is happening.

“In fact, agents are telling us not to use Ports and Cargo and MSC because they have increased their charges to an amount they cannot understand.

“Our advice to our customers is that they should pay the money to avoid accumulation of demurrage but subsequently if they don’t reverse the decision, we will boycott using MSC and Ports and Cargo,” she stated.

Muyiwa Akande, the Public Relations of SIFAX Group said the organisation was already aware of the complaint.

In a text message to our reporter, Akande promised that the management will make an official statement on the issue next week.