By Abimbola Abdullahi

There  are fears that Nigerian seaports might be thrown into fresh crises over plans by shipping companies and terminal operators to slam demurrage and storage charges on cargoes trapped at the ports during EndSARS protests.

   The freight forwarders have  warned that any effort to slam demurrage and storage charges on trapped goods inside the ports will be vehemently resisted.

  The 100% Compliance Team of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), in a letter addressed to the Managing Director of Maersk Line Nigeria Limited, appealed to all shipping lines and terminal operators  not to charge demurrage/storage on cargoes during EndSARS lockdown period.

    The letter signed by the National Coordinator of the team, Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko, reads in part: “It has come to our knowledge that some shipping companies and terminal operators have already started charging storage and demurrage for this period of EndSARS protest without recourse to consideration like safety of lives and properties.

   “First consideration world over  in any crisis period is security of lives and properties. It is most unfortunate to note that otherwise is the case here and we want to say no to that action.

   “We had expected our shipping companies and terminal operators to show some sense of concern, love, solidarity and pity to the Nigerian youths and to those importers who have lost their loved ones or properties in this struggle to put Nigeria on the track of good governance. However, this has not been the case.

   “On this note, we want to state categorically clear that NAGAFF 100% Compliance Team will not fold it’s hands and watch our members exploited for no fault of theirs.

  “We will employ and invoke the spirit of Aluta Continua to resist and even oppose this wickedness by shipping companies and terminal operators.

   “We will mobilise in most civil manner other associations, truck owners, clearing agents and port users in a placard carrying protest against this impunity and block the ports access gates and entrances until our demands are met.

  “We therefore call on the shipping companies and terminal operators to refund the fees to those who have already paid with immediate effect.”

Also speaking on the development, the Vice President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Kayode Farinto, said he expected the shipping companies and terminal operators not to shun demurrage and storage charges on cargoes trapped inside the ports due to the EndSARS protest that rocked the nation throughout last week.

   He said: “We expect the operators not to slam demurrage and storage charges on cargoes trapped inside the ports due to the EndSARS protest. What happened was beyond anybody’s control. The protest led to a break down of law and order, and the Lagos State Government had to impose a restriction on movement, so under such circumstances, nobody could come to the ports to clear cargoes.

   “Even the ports were shut down. If the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) head office in Marina can be touched by hoodlums, then we expect the shipping companies and terminal operators to understand what happened all through last week.

   “Any attempt to impose demurrage and storage charges on cargoes trapped in the ports due to this will be resisted. We are going to write the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) on this, because we won’t pay for what we didn’t cause.” he said.

By Abimbola Abdullahi

There  are fears that Nigerian seaports might be thrown into fresh crises over plans by shipping companies and terminal operators to slam demurrage and storage charges on cargoes trapped at the ports during EndSARS protests.

   The freight forwarders have  warned that any effort to slam demurrage and storage charges on trapped goods inside the ports will be vehemently resisted.

  The 100% Compliance Team of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), in a letter addressed to the Managing Director of Maersk Line Nigeria Limited, appealed to all shipping lines and terminal operators  not to charge demurrage/storage on cargoes during EndSARS lockdown period.

    The letter signed by the National Coordinator of the team, Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko, reads in part: “It has come to our knowledge that some shipping companies and terminal operators have already started charging storage and demurrage for this period of EndSARS protest without recourse to consideration like safety of lives and properties.

   “First consideration world over  in any crisis period is security of lives and properties. It is most unfortunate to note that otherwise is the case here and we want to say no to that action.

   “We had expected our shipping companies and terminal operators to show some sense of concern, love, solidarity and pity to the Nigerian youths and to those importers who have lost their loved ones or properties in this struggle to put Nigeria on the track of good governance. However, this has not been the case.

   “On this note, we want to state categorically clear that NAGAFF 100% Compliance Team will not fold it’s hands and watch our members exploited for no fault of theirs.

  “We will employ and invoke the spirit of Aluta Continua to resist and even oppose this wickedness by shipping companies and terminal operators.

   “We will mobilise in most civil manner other associations, truck owners, clearing agents and port users in a placard carrying protest against this impunity and block the ports access gates and entrances until our demands are met.

  “We therefore call on the shipping companies and terminal operators to refund the fees to those who have already paid with immediate effect.”

Also speaking on the development, the Vice President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Kayode Farinto, said he expected the shipping companies and terminal operators not to shun demurrage and storage charges on cargoes trapped inside the ports due to the EndSARS protest that rocked the nation throughout last week.

   He said: “We expect the operators not to slam demurrage and storage charges on cargoes trapped inside the ports due to the EndSARS protest. What happened was beyond anybody’s control. The protest led to a break down of law and order, and the Lagos State Government had to impose a restriction on movement, so under such circumstances, nobody could come to the ports to clear cargoes.

   “Even the ports were shut down. If the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) head office in Marina can be touched by hoodlums, then we expect the shipping companies and terminal operators to understand what happened all through last week.

   “Any attempt to impose demurrage and storage charges on cargoes trapped in the ports due to this will be resisted. We are going to write the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) on this, because we won’t pay for what we didn’t cause.” he said.