1,000 Export Containers Still Trapped At Apapa Port, As Shippers Council Holds Maersk Line Responsible
By DAPO OLAWUNI
Port Economic Regulator; The Nigerian Shippers Council, has said that shipping giant, Maersk Line would bear all cost liabilities on the currently trapped 1,000 export containers at the APMT terminal Apapa if they fail to transport it out of the port in record time.
Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Council, Barr Pius Akutah Ukeyima stated this while fielding questions from Journalists at a parley held in Lagos on Saturday.
According to the Shippers Council boss, the agency had been inundated with complaints from various Shippers in Nigeria about their containers not getting exported out of the country by the shipping company. He said that Maersk Line at a meeting summoned by the Council admitted that it was having shortage of vessels to take the said export containers out of Nigeria.
Akutah confirmed that out of 1,800 export containers said to have been abandoned at the Apapa port, 800 have been shipped out remaining 1000 leftovers.
He however warned that should the export containers be rejected upon getting to their destination due to deterioration or getting spoilt as a result of long stay at the port, Maersk Line was going to bear the cost of the containers and the freight cost.
“On the issue of abandoned export containers, the complaints we received are on Maersk Line. We received the complaint from the National President of the National Association of Shippers.
“We held a tripartite meeting and Maersk were able to explain the challenge they were having in shipping out exports.
Before now, the shipping lines complain that when they come to Nigeria, they don’t get export to take out, but now, there is more export and there is no vessel to take them out, they said there is congestion at APMT terminal.
“The Shippers Council is seriously looking into the congestion at APMT terminal, most importantly is the containers of exports with African trades at the far East that they have not been able to ship out due to the rescheduling.
“At the moment, they complained about 1,800 containers for export, seating at APMT terminals, they have been able to export 800, remaining 1,000.
But we have made them to understand that at the end of the journey when these export containers gets to their destination, and the cargo inside is no longer in good shape and rejected at destination, that Maersk would be liable for the cost both to the shipper and equally for the cost of the freight that the shipper has paid” he said
Akutah noted that the continuous stay of export containers at the port could cause the cargo to deteriorate, even though most of the containers were said to be carrying hibiscus, which has a shelve life of one year.
Providing further insight into the Council’s regulatory activities, Dr. Akutah revealed that between the fourth quarter of 2023 and the second quarter of 2026, the Council received 558 complaints from port users and successfully resolved 295 commercial disputes relating to demurrage, detention, terminal charges and cargo claims.
He further stated that the Council streamlined bonded terminal invoice charges from 18 categories to 6 abolished unauthorised shipping line surcharges and directed terminal operators to publicly display all approved tariffs as part of measures to ensure transparency and protect port users.
On infrastructure development, he said the Council continues to expand trade facilitation initiatives through the development of Inland Dry Ports in Kaduna, Kano and Funtua, Vehicle Transit Areas and Border Information Centres located in Idiroko, Jigawa, Benue, Borno and Kebbi States.
He disclosed that following the collapse of the Jibia Border Information Centre in June 2026, reconstruction has commenced while discussions are ongoing with state governments for the development of permanent Border Information Centre complexes.
