Shipping Companies, NPA Berthing Committee Writes Oyetola Over Inadequacy of Tug Boats, Pilot Cutters At Onne Port

—Operators Resort to Self-help, Incurred N4.9Million Cost

The Shipping Companies/Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Berthing Committee at Area 2 Onne Port Complex, Eastern Zone has raised an alarm over the lack of tug boats and pilot cutters at Onne Port, Rivers State.

In this open letter to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola and the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Dr Abubakar Dantsoho dated 12th of December 2024, the committee particularly demanded the refund of N4.9 Million extra costs incurred by ship’s agents in an attempt to provide mobility for marine pilot to do their job at Onne port.

12 December, 2024

Dear Sir,

OPEN LETTER TO THE MINISTER OF MARINE & BLUE ECONOMY ON NPA INFRASTRUCTURAL DEFICIT AND INADEQUACIES OF AVAILABLE PILOT CUTTER AND TUGBOATS

Background of the Problem :

The shipping companies/NPA berthing meeting is a committee consisting of shipping agencies (liner companies’ representatives), ship’s agencies reps, Government agencies in the port and reps of terminal operators.
This committee is responsible for scheduling and programming of vessels calling Onne Port/Terminals daily.

This committee has continually generated revenue for Nigerian Ports Authority, NIMASA and Customs among other revenue generating agencies operating in the ports: through the effort of vessels husband called ships agent. This berthing committee is aiso available and functional in all ports such as Port Harcourt, Warri, Calabar (Eastern Ports) Apapa, Tincan Island Port and Lekki Deep Sea Ports (Western ports).

This overview gives the background information that would help the public and relevant Government agencies to appreciate the significant contribution of berthing committee members to the national economy and the growth of Nigeria generally as nation.

ISSUES AT HAND AND FACTS REFERRED TO IN THIS CONTEXT OF AN OPEN LETTER

It is true that pilot cutter Ogbona and tugboats are available at Onne port. There is also a third-party contractor or service provider on ground presently, but service delivery suffers a lot under this condition over the years as cited below:

1) Berthing committee letter written and submitted on 13th October, 2021 with ref. OBM/2021/017 the committee requested for the provision of needed pilot cutter though, available but not utilized for berthing and sailing of vessels.

2) Reference is made to the NPA management’s response acknowledgement of the above complaints. This is evident in the following letter written as response to the committee: ref HQ/ED/M&O/OP/738 dated 12th November, 2021 in which NPA management promised to address all complaints and issues raised by the committee.

3) A letter addressed to the port manager Onne Port was written 9th August 2023 Tiled: undue delays in vessel movement due to inefficient pilot cutters and decommissioning of same by NPA leading to the reports on demurrage accrual on two vessels namely: MV SAFMARINE CAMEROUN and MV KOTA LEGIT because marine pilots could not board the vessels as should and programmed for the days operation.

4) The berthing committee also raised another letter which is the recent one preceding this open letter titled: Inoperative pilot boat in Onne port. The committee call for urgent action to ensure provision of services paid for in the provisional bills raised by NPA and paid up front by ships agents before the arrival of vessels.
Hence, tugboat, pilot cutter and towage services were concession to third-party service providers in all ports in Nigeria.

This letter was addressed to the managing director of NPA demanding for improved services at the port and the refund of extra costs incurred by ship’s agents in an attempt to provide mobility for marine pilot to do their job at Onne port. The sum of N4,980,000.00 (Four Million Nine Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira only) was incurred by ships agents concerned till date.

The unexpected deficiencies and failure of PC Ogbona to operate since January 2024 resulted to making ships’ and companies to beer large financial burden in the light of cost associated with hiring of private boats for pilots to carry out berthing and sailing of vessels in the ports.

It will interest the management of NPA and the public to know that shipping agents Operating in all ports in Nigeria beers extra costs in order to enhance the growth and development of marine and blue economic activities as far as the port Operations are concerned in Nigeria. Specifically, we want to bring to your notice that currently agents pay for the following:

1) N300,000.00 (Three Thousand naira only) in the absence of pilot cutter for pilots in Onne to berth and sail vessels as at when due.

2) Tug boats are available for third-parties service provider to use but no bunker to make the tug operational when needed to berth or sail vessels. This singular act leads to accumulation of demurrages which further imposed hardship that are numerous to count regarding service delivery in the ports.

PERCEIVED CAUSES OF CURRENT CHALLENGES EXPERIENCED BY SHIP’S AGENT AND COMPANIES OPERATING IN NIGERIAN PORTS GENERALLY

1) Lack of adequate funding through budgetary allocation to cater for port infrastructure provision, maintenance and sustenance in all ports.

2) Non-challant attitude of staff (pilot) to their job, in an attempt to protest against non payment of wages and allowances accrued to them in course of their job in the marine and blue economy ecosystem in Nigeria. This fact further degenerated into arm-twisting of shipping agents in order to extort money for pilots to be engaged to berth or sail vessels. Series of their demands were noted inform of payment for overdraft, over length, pilot sleeping at Bonny, late movements among others.

3) The above is a major cause of low patronage of the eastern ports of which Onne port is one significant ports and the second busiest ports in the eastern ports in Nigeria.

4) Inability of the ports manager to address these challenges when they arises in the individual ports.

5) Delays in resolving matters or claims relating to payments made in accordance with the bills raised and collected by NPA via the provisional bills in both naira and dollar (as the case may be). Voyage reconciliation and final bills are done with the speed of lighting. While, issues of claims and refunds becomes a very big challenge even to management of NPA at the peak of management level.

OUR DEMANDS, PRAYERS AND WAY FORWARD

Based on this open letters, aimied at presenting the challenges impeding the wheels of progress in the marine and blue seaways ecosystem in Nigerian generally and particularly in Onne ports. Therefore, the berthing committee of Onne port unequivocally demands that the minister, ministry of marine and blue economy including all her relevant agencies be given leverage to ensure the following:

1) Funding & provision of adequate services in the ports to alleviate the suffering of the port users in Nigeria.

2) Adequate refund of any extra costs incurred by ports users particularly we demand the refund of N4,980,000 to Onne port berthing committee members being money accrued through the provision of private boats to enable marine pilot in Onne port carry out their job of berth in sailing of vessels.

3) The National assembly (the senate and house of reps. Committee on marine and blue economy) should prevail upon the executive to empower the minister, the ministry and subsequently empower agencies such as NPA under the ministry to meet their finical obligations. NPA is a cash-cow that should not be muscled in order to survive. NPA requires money to deliver needed services and customers’ satisfaction to port users in Nigeria. If this is done, it will not only address lack of funds it would also solved the issues of delays and help provides needed port infrastructure for better service delivery in Nigeria.

4) Corruption and corrupt tendencies seen or manifesting on the staff members will also be addressed accordingly.

5) The berthing committee also prayed that tugboat pilot cutter and towage charges be expunged from ship’s provisional bills henceforth. This will enable agents to provide tug/pilot cutters, when needed. This will also help reduce the rigorous processes and procedures of claims and delayed or denied refunds by NPA.

6) The committee also recommends that over stay and over familiarities on the part of marine pilots operating in each ports especially at Onne and Port Harcourt has its attendant consequences as factors contributing to these observed altitude and extortions by marine pilot’s frivolous demands from agents.

7) Furthermore, berthing meeting committee requests for marine pilot reshufflement or transfer to ease the over familiarities observed in all ports. Any one who had worked for over 4 years in a station should please be moved to another.

This would enable fresh ideas and approaches to work to be demonstrated with out prejudice by every one involved or concerned to deliver service.

We are looking forward to seeing your quick response to our prayers and demands as committee that contributes to nation building through our shipping services that enhances revenue generation in marine and blue economy sector.

Kindly accept our committees assurances and warm regards.

Yours faithfully,
STANLEY ITAMA
Leader Shipping Companies/NPA berthing Committee Area 2, Onne Port Complex Eastern Ports