NPA Shuts Down Bonded Terminal At Tin Can Port for Violating Directive On Container Stripping

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By DAPO OLAWUNI

For failing to comply with warnings from the agency over container stripping operations, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has wielded the big stick by shutting down a bonded terminal at the Tin Can Island Port; Hannover Bonded Terminal.

DAILY TREND NEWS gathered exclusively that despite warnings from NPA to all strip yards along Tin Can corridor to suspend stripping of containers, the terminal was violating the directive and engaging in clandestine operations at night.

Sources at the Tin Can Port confirmed to our correspondent that the terminal was shutdown last week, and that currently, freight forwarders are agitated because a lot of containers and cargoes are trapped inside the terminal.

Freight Forwarders who spoke with our correspondent also lamented that the container deposits fund paid to terminal operators on these containers would continue to deplete.

Findings showed that, fear of traffic gridlock, as well as losing container deposit funds, has encouraged “Stripping” of containers, which involves freight forwarders offloading contents of their containers at bonded terminals close to the port in order to quickly return the empty containers and claim back the deposit funds.

Efforts to reach the NPA acting General Manager Corporate and Strategic Communications, Mr Ibrahim Nasiru proved abortive. Phone calls and messages placed to the Tin Can Port Manager was not also responded to.

Sources at the port however confirmed that NPA had sanctioned the bonded terminal because it was operating outside the scope of its operations.

Recall that the Nigerian Shippers Council had also visited the terminal last following series of complaints from freight forwarders about lack of equipment and conducive environment at the terminal.

A director of Shippers Council, Chief Carjetan Agu had issued an ultimatum to the bonded terminal to pave the floors of the terminal and avoid flooding.

At the peak of the traffic gridlock along the port corridor in December 2020, the NPA had threatened to sanction bonded terminals engaging in container stripping which was responsible for the gridlock along the corridor.

The authority through its Port Traffic Manager, Mr. Peter Abiri stressed that any violation of the directive by the operators would result in the closure of the terminals, adding that the terminals were not originally licensed to do stripping but to operate as bonded terminals.

“The Authority has been inundated with complaints from custom agents about these unacceptable actions, which contribute to the traffic gridlock along the Tin Can Port corridor”
“Resumption of stripping activities would only be reconsidered after the port access road has been cleared of all impediments”

“Violation of the directive would result in the closure of the terminals, which were not originally licensed for stripping but operate as bonded terminals.

“Bonded terminals which engage in any unwholesome practice have been notified to desist forthwith.”

According to Abiri, “Some of the bonded terminals that engage in stripping include; M.A.N Yard and Hannover Terminal, Dash Gold (Black gate), SocaTalmis and Wali Galibut at Abuja area of Tincan port.”

Sources confirmed to DAILY TREND NEWS on Monday that since the NPA stopped stripping of containers along the corridor, there has been an improvement in traffic.

“There has been a lot of improvement, but there is still a lot to do, the cabals who are benefitting from the gridlock are seriously fighting it.
The sanity has returned because all the stripping yards have been shut down”

“Containers are presently trapped inside the terminal, the NPA said the terminal is not up to standard and that they were not licensed to carry out the kind of operations they were doing”

“The terminal was offloading containers at the terminal, normally, customs gave them license for bonded terminal operations, but the terminal itself is not conducive, it is not paved, the Shippers Council has been here to give them warning, but the NPA finally came last week to seal it off”

“People have been here to complain because their business is trapped inside the terminal, but we have told them that nobody would pay, the only challenge now is shipping and terminal charges, as it is, the deposit is depleting, since the container have been exited”

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