Shippers’ Council reduces vessel turnaround time from 10 days to 4 hours
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
About N6.5 billion demurrage has been saved for the maritime sector and vessel turnaround time is now four hours, down from 10 days, all achieved by the Port Standing Task Team (PSTT) set up by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC).
NSC Executive Secretary Emmanuel Jime, who made the disclosure in Lagos, said the gains have, however, rankles with corrupt vested interests who are fighting to roll them back, using physical attacks and threats to the lives of PSTT members.
Areas of port supervision strongly resisted by some stakeholders include Joint Vessel Boarding, Joint Cargo Examination, and Operation free the port access roads.
“On joint vessel boarding by mandated government agencies, the activities of the team saved the Nigerian economy an average vessel demurrage of $20,000 about N6.5 billion per day between year 2020 and 2021.
“However, due to a number of challenges, Nigeria has been unable to fully harness the potentials of the sector.
“Consequently, it is appropriate to note that Nigeria needs an effective maritime transportation in order to enjoy accruable revenue and benefits of this sector,” Jime advised.
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Media help needed to fight corruption
Jime sought the help of the media in the battle against greed and graft by highlighting corrupt practices, according to reporting by Vanguard.
“The Shippers Council through the Task Team is engaged in a fight which, in my humble estimation, has never ever been fought by any other agency of government. The challenge is more than what anybody can imagine.
“We are fighting a system that has been here for as long as you can think, so please help us, you need to shine your focus on what is going on.”
He disclosed that the Task Team is about to move to the Mile-2 axis of the port corridor, and expressed the hope of the NSC that every stakeholder will join hands with it to free port access roads from illegal toll collection and extortion of drivers.