NPA to bear the cost of 21-day demurrage waiver

Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said it will bear the cost of the 21-day demurrage waiver palliative.

NPA General Manager, Public Relations and Strategic Communications, Adams Jatto who reiterated NPA’s stand to waive off 21-day demurrage on cargoes at seaports remains added that the measure was taken to alleviate the suffering of importers during the COVID-19 period.

He said that any cargo that had been in after the tentative date in the port and had attracted demurrage would attract a waiver.

Jatto further noted that after calculating the demurrage on cargo, the 21- day waiver would be removed from the cost and NPA will then bear the cost of that waiver.

Recall that on March 27, NPA suspended all applicable terminal storage fees on consignments (demurrage) from an initial period of 21 days, effective March 23.

It, however, generated widespread confusion at the nation’s seaports, as clearing agents accused terminal operators and shipping companies of flouting the directive.

It was also part of the responsibility imposed on the authority to relieve this burden on its customers as well as attaining the objective of the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business Policy.

“There is no form of confusion at all because NPA gave a tentative date for the 21-day directive.

“A follow up to this, is the managing director’s visit to the port and in particular about the directive which she brought up before the terminal operators and no objection was raised.

“The terminal operators even confirmed receiving the letter sent to them in that regard,” Jatto said.