Shipping charges: Agents tell importers to boycott CMA-CGM services

Following the recent introduction of new charges by a shipping company agent, CMA-CGM, clearing agents have asked all importers to discontinue all shipments of their cargoes/containers through CMA-CGM and any other shipping agent that has added the new charge to its bill. This is even as the agents accused the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) of not being firm on shipping lines and their agents as regards charges and levies.

It would be recalled that CMA-CGM, a shipping agent, recently slammed a N38,000 additional charge per 20ft container on importers, labelling the new charge as Ports Additions Destination levy.

According to a statement signed by the spokesman of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Kayode Farinto and made available to Nigerian Tribune, the action of CMA-CGM is threatening to drag the Nigerian maritime industry backward following efforts by government to entrench Ease-of-Doing-Business principles at the ports.

“The recent charge slammed on Nigerian importers by CMA-CGM is viewed as an act of neo-colonialism by licensed Customs agents. Just when the Federal Government rolled out the second phase of action plan on Ease-of-Doing-Business, to ameliorate the sufferings of the citizenry, CMA-CGM, a shipping agent decided to extort Nigerians and move us backward by slamming N38,000 per 20 footer equivalent (TEU) as Ports Additional Destination charge.

“We see this as an act tantamount to challenging the collective sensibility of Nigerians. This is absurd and wickedness in its entirety.

“Furthermore, we frown at the Honourable Minister of Transportation towing the way of Emperor Nero by fiddling and pretending that all is well when Rome was burning. It is unfortunate that the government is fiddling when the maritime industry is being hijacked.

“In view of this, we advise all Nigerian importers to discontinue all shipping of their cargoes/container’s through CMA-CGM and any other shipping agent that tows this line. Your continuous patronage is empowering this neo-colonialist at the expense of our collective economy,” ANLCA stated.

Also speaking on the development, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Mickey Excellency Nigeria Limited, Alhaji Abdulazeez Babatunde said that the Shippers Council has failed the operators over their incompetence to play its regulatory role.

Babatunde, a Customs Broker and former Chairman of Association Electoral Committee (ASECO) of the ANLCA stated that shippers are being coerced to pay arbitrary charges without government intervention.

He insisted that in the last few weeks, shipping line agencies have been known for arbitrary charges on boxes, stating that the primary aim of the Council is meant to protect and mediate on behalf of the shippers.

Babatunde said, “the agency is an arm of the government that gets subvention to protect the interest of importers and exporters.

“However, under the Council’s watch the shipping companies are increasing charges arbitrarily without the council Intervention.

“Despite the Federal Government approval mandating the Council as port economic regulator, it can best be described as a toothless bulldog, that cannot bite.”