By Uzor Odigbo
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council has succeeded in forcing the halt of the astronomical peak season surcharge imposed by shipping lines calling in Nigeria, as MAERSK Line summarily suspended the Surcharge.
The shipping line, we gathered through a press release instructed its commercial department to stop applying the peak season surcharge from 1st September 2020.
According to a release by the head of public relation, Nigeria Shippers’ Council, Rakiya Zubairu disclosed that MAERSK line wrote to the ES/CEO of Nigerian Shippers’ Council to notify of the proposed halt of the surcharges.
A letter signed by Lara Lana, MD of MAERSK Nigeria and addressed to the ES/CEO of Nigerian Shippers’ Council, stated that “our principals in our Head Office have informed us of your letter with subject reference increase in peak season surcharge”.
It further stated that “we would like to thank you for the supporting document you shared shedding light on the meeting between the ECSA and UASC”.
The release states further that the Union of African Shippers’ Council (UASC), subsequently backed Shippers’ Council calls for immediate suspension of the peak season surcharge calling it a violation of previous UASC/European Community Shipowners Association (ECSA) agreement requiring prior, mutual and reasonable notification of UASC and PMAWCA by individual shipping companies before any such imposition of new tariff, surcharges or increase in transport cost.
