Shippers Council Laments High Litigation in Maritime industry

ABIOLA Seun

The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) has expressed displeasure over litigation which has contributed to in-effective regulation of shipping activities in the country.

This alarm was raised by the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Barr. Hassan Bello in Lagos recently.

Bello, who was represented by Festus Philemon, Assistant Director Marketing Analysis and Tariff Administration also raised concerns over the non- passage of the National Transport Commission Bill, saying it has adversely affected the regulation of the shipping operation sector.

He further stated that the non-passage of the bill has led to the public monopoly being inadvertently replaced by private monopoly.

He lamented that the bill has remained unpassed 12 years after the reform of the Ports policy.

His words,” On some of the challenges, the NSC identified resistance to regulation by both public and private agencies.

“This is because it was not easy for a regulatory enhancement system as the former created monopoly rather than increasing competition in effect, public monopoly was inadvertently replaced by private monopoly”.

Also, “litigation: in-spite the expression of acceptance and pledge of co-operation by service providers at the time of consultation.This is due largely to the non-passage of the port and Harbour and the National Transport Commission (NTC) bills twelve (12) years after port reforms, which has its concomitant adverse effect on regulation of the sector”.

He also listed some achievements of the agency Council in its bid to ensure the industry’s potentials are maximally harnessed.

According to the Chief Executive, “In pursuance of relationship between providers and users of shipping and port related services, the NSC constituted a Committee in April 1997 to review reached agreements on the disputable charges nomenclatures which NSC reduced the nomenclature of tariffs from twenty-two (22) – six (6) numbers of nomenclatures as follows:

“Developed and launched a Standard Operation Procedure for all service providers both public and private which is meant to streamlines clearing procedure of all service providers in reducing delays in cargo handling process which is a huge component of cost.

“Secured through a court process the abrogation of the shipping line agency fee, container cleaning fee which has reduced the cost of doing business in the ports.