NSC urges Maerskline to route Benin Republic cargoes through Nigerian ports
NAN-HE-12
By Aisha Cole
Lagos, Jan. 19, 2017 (NAN) The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has urged Maerskline Nigeria Ltd. to route cargoes meant for Benin Republic through Nigerian ports to make Nigeria maritime hub in West and Central Africa.
The Executive Secretary of the NSC, Mr Hassan Bello, made the plea when officials of
Maerskline visited the council’s headquarters in Lagos on Thursday.
Bello said that routing Benin Republic cargoes through Nigerian ports would improve relationship and reduce cost of doing business between both countries.
He pleaded for continuous collaboration between the NSC and the management of the shipping companies to make Nigerian ports more efficient and effective.
Bello commended Maerskline for its immense contributions to the development of the Nigerian ports, adding that more was still expected from the shipping company.
He identified instability of cargo dwell time and lack of transparency in the port operations as some of the challenges facing the Nigerian ports.
He then called for more dialogue and collaboration in addressing these challenges.
“Nigerian Shippers’ Council, being the Port Economic Regulator, is primarily concerned with effective operations of stakeholders in the country.
“NSC has settled a lot of disputes between operators and their customers and that is why I am advising operators not to take shipping cases to court.
“The council has settled a lot disputes through dialogue which provided win-win situation for the aggrieved parties,“ The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes Bello as saying.
Bello also called for stronger strategic partnership with Maerskline for the Kaduna Dry Port to have access to cargoes.
He said that the Kaduna Dry Port, which had been designated as port of origin and port of destination, was expected to begin operation soon.
He expressed optimism that the dry port, if fully operational, would boost the economy of the host state, decongest the ports and bring port services to their door steps.
The Managing Director, Maerskline Ltd., Mr Gildas Tohouo, expressed his readiness to support the council to achieve its objectives of making Nigerian ports “user friendly“.
Tohouo maintained that there should be give and take in port operations which would favour government in the long run by improving its revenue.
According to him, Maeskline subscribed to the dialogue being suggested by the council to create sustainable platform.
“As we just entered the New Year, the council should engage stakeholders from time to time, which will assist the growth of the maritime industry.
“The platform will involve sitting together to dialogue on the challenges to move the industry forward,“ Tohouo told NAN.
He called for information sharing among the operators and users to assist in bringing business to the dry port. (NAN)
AIC/WOJ
(Edited by Wale Ojetimi)