Shippers Council Visits MSC Shipping, Says Company Performing Below Expectation

By DAPO OLAWUNI

The Nigerian Shippers Council on Monday embarked on an on-the-spot accessment of shipping companies and terminal operators operations in Nigeria, this is even as the council scored MSC Shipping very low in performance.

Recall that freight forwarders at Nigerian ports have continously raised alarm over the lack of holding bays by the shipping companies, and that many of them, especially MSC Shipping were using trucks as their holding bay while still charging demurrage.

Executive Secretary of Shippers Council, Barr Hassan Bello who led top management of the agency on the exercise charged shipping companies to use barges to evacuate their empty containers from the port corridors.

Apparently in response to cries from Shippers and their freight forwarders, Bello said the agency is going round shipping companies and terminals to ensure that processes are as quick as possible for cargoes to exit the ports.

He maintained that reports have shown that MSC performed below 50% while CMA CGM performed above 80% but urged the liner to step up in terms of compliance.

While addressing journalists at the end of the Monday exercise, Bello said ”We know there are challenges in the ports, but we should improve on our services. CMA CGM is 80% Compliance in its operations but we still want them to improve to about 90% or 95%.

“We Know that there is high cost of doing business at the Nigerian ports but we want to state that no terminal operator, shipping companies or government institutions have raised any charges except for disruption and distraction by failure of infrastructure because the roads are not just too good at the moment especially Tin Can axis, but government is doing everything possible to address these worries.” he assured.

Continuing, he said “From next week there will be a staff of Nigerian Shippers’ Council posted to each shipping companies and terminals. And that will moderate and monitor the relationship between customers and the service providers”

However, Managing Director of MSC Shipping, Mr Andrew Lyche debunked insinuations that the company does not have holding bays in Lagos.

According to him, MSC Shipping has four holding bays in Lagos and eight holding bays all over the country.

“Sometimes it is the responsibilities of the government to provide this services to make sure that things are done the right way. But operations at times in Nigeria can be very hostile and that is why we are coming up with this innovation to monitor activities both at the terminal and the shipping companies”

“We have about eight holding bays in the country and at least four are significantly in use in this part of the country. We have the one of 4,000 containers in Amuwo Odofin, 1,200 close to Shagamu, 1,000 plus in SiFAX Ijora and smaller ones scattered all over the country” he said