APM Terminals, Apapa playing games with empty container evacuation —MSC

The Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has refuted claims made by APM Terminals Apapa that due to a sustained surge in import cargo volumes over recent weeks, foreign shipping lines have had to prioritize discharging incoming laden containers over evacuating empties.

Recall that APM Terminals, Apapa Terminal Manager, Mr. Steen Knudsen, while responding to Nigerian Tribune’s enquiries surrounding the terminal refusal to receive empty containers recently, said that the management of empty container evacuation into the terminal and subsequent shipment onto vessels is the exclusive responsibility of shipping lines, which own and control all containers.

However, refuting insinuations that due to a sharp and sustained surge in import cargo volumes, shipping lines were prioritizing discharging incoming laden containers over evacuating empties, the Managing Director, MSC Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Andrew Lynch, stated that APM Terminals, Apapa should not be allowed to receive more imports than they load out either as exports or empties.

According to him: “Is a nonsense that shipping lines are being accused of prioritizing discharge of incoming laden containers over evacuating empties. This is not true. The truth is that each container coming into Nigeria needs to go out either full or empty.

“Shipping lines cannot prioritize discharging incoming laden containers over evacuating empties because if shipping lines don’t bring empty containers back to where they have cargoes, the shipping line will run out of containers to ship.

“Therefore, no shipping line wants to shun empty containers. APM Terminals, Apapa should not be allowed to receive more imports than they load out.”

When asked to clarify his stance on the APM Terminals position on empty containers, Lynch, while speaking through his Customer Service Manager, Olumide Adefisan,explained that, “APM Terminals Apapa is just playing games with empty container issues.

“If you go to our yard at Tin-Can Island Container Terminal (TICT), what we have more in our yard are exports cargoes and very few empties because we clear our imports and empties as at when due. APM Terminals, Apapa is taking too much import units of cargoes and giving less consideration for exports or empties. APM Terminals, Apapa yard is congested with imports, not empties as insinuated.

“That’s why Andrew told you that APM Terminals, Apapa should not be allowed to receive more imports than they load out,” he said.

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