Operators decry manual cargo examination at seaports, urge Customs to deploy technology

The Chairman, Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), Princess Vicky Haastrup, has decried the high rate of manual examination of cargoes at the nation’s seaports and asked the Nigeria Customs Service to deploy technology to drive the process.

Tribune Online reports that Haastrup, who spoke in Lagos at the weekend, said the manual examination of cargoes is not efficient and does not promote social distancing.

She said: “We have a situation where people must visit the port physically to do Customs documentation and cargo examination before they can take delivery of their consignments. This is not safe at this time and it is also inefficient.

“The Nigeria Customs Service should do everything possible to install functional scanners at the port to reduce the high rate of physical examination of cargoes and to reduce human contacts. Customs should also make it possible for consignees to process their release documents and make necessary duty payments online without having to visit the port or Customs commands.

“There is also need to reduce the number of government agencies that participate in cargo examination at the port in addition to reducing the number of checks carried out on cleared cargos both inside and outside the port premises. Customs’ clearing process must become smart at this time.”

The STOAN chairman also said that due to declining oil revenues, Nigeria must begin to make deliberate attempts to shift its balance of trade.

“Nigeria must move quickly from being a net importer to a net exporter of food. The government will need to support farmers for better agricultural yields that will be attractive to the international market. The farmers will also need to be supported in reducing wastages experienced during harvests and in the course of getting their produce to the market. Funding and logistics support for the farmers is also of great importance at this time.

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“Adequate storage, inventory management, and transportation are key logistics activities that represent the most serious constraints facing our agric export today. These will need to be addressed by governments at all levels. The government should also endeavour to simplify the cumbersome processes and unnecessary bureaucratic bottlenecks associated with documentation and processing of export cargoes at our ports,” she said.

Haastrup said at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, terminal operators engaged the Federal Government on the need to ensure that the nation’s seaports remained open during lockdowns so as to ensure that the supply chain was not disrupted.

“Terminal operators and the Nigerian Ports Authority worked hard to keep the ports during the lockdown running because we are aware of the importance of the seaports to the wellbeing of our people. We knew the ports had to remain open to ensure that there was no shortage of food, drugs and other essential supply to Nigerians.

“The shipping sector is key in securing the continuity of economic activities, ensuring supply chains to industries, transportation of essential goods, including energy and food supplies, and transportation of vital medical and protective equipment, and supplies.

“It is imperative for the fight against COVID-19, the supply of essentials, as well as for increasing the chance of global economic recovery on the other side of the outbreak, that maritime and connected transport are allowed to continue, and that government works actively to support the sector throughout the period of the crisis.

“I am happy that the President and the Nigerian Ports Authority saw the merit in this argument and classified the ports and shipping operations as essential services during the lockdown. I must also give kudos to NPA, Customs and terminal operators for ensuring that the ports operated optimally during this period.

“In addition to sustaining operations, we donated N700million to the Federal Government to support the country’s effort to curtail the spread of the coronavirus disease. We also supported the port community through massive awareness campaigns and the donation of various personal protective items such as facemasks, hand gloves, coveralls, hand sanitisers and infrared thermometers to NPA, Customs and other government agencies at the various port locations across the country,” she added.