Despite the plea of the port economic regulator, the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) that terminal operators at the seaport exempt cargoes that came in during the yuletide from additional port charges, a senior staff at a container terminal in Apapa port has stated that doing such will encourage congestion at the ports.
Speaking to the Nigerian Tribune exclusively, a senior staff of one of the terminal operators at the Apapa Port who pleaded not to have his name in print, as he is not authorised to speak on the matter, stated that it’s not possible to grant exemptions of additional port charges to any set of cargoes so as not to promote congestion at the ports.
According to the port worker, “the port is a 24hours facility, so every other aspect of port operation has to be on a 24hours drive to promote port efficiency. If some sets of cargoes are given exemption as regards charges, then such move will end up promoting congestion at the ports because the owners of such cargoes will be more relaxed about going to take delivery of their cargoes.
“Don’t let us forget that the Port is not a warehouse. When people are given the opportunity to leave their cargoes inside the ports for longer than expected, before you know it, everywhere will get filled up with un-cleared cargoes.
“So, I don’t see a possibility of terminal operators granting further charges exemption to any set of cargoes, not even the so called yuletide cargoes.”
It would be recalled that the Executive Secretary of the NSC, Hassan Bello, had urged terminal operators to exempt cargoes that came in during the yuletide period from additional port charges.