Inefficiency in ports  adds to cost of cargo clearance — SAN

The Nige-ria Shipping Association, SAN, has said that inefficiencies in cargo clearing value chain is driving up cargo cost in Nigeria’s import-export business.

Speaking at the end of its monthly meeting, Chairman of the group, Boma Alabi, OON, explained that because Nigeria’s port system is revenue driven, it has become more expensive than other ports across the West African sub-region.

She also said that the inefficiency is the reason the government had asked shipping firms to build holding bays for empty containers for onward movement into the ports.

She added that these charges impact on the Nigeria’s exports which makes it uncompetitive in the international markets.

She stated further, “There are so many agencies operating in the ports and we have to follow and obey whatever regulations they put in place; that is our reality.

“Most of what we do is containerized movement of goods both in and out of Nigeria. Shipping is important for import and export. From our perspective, we want to see the export grow because nobody would want to bring in a full vessel and go back with an empty vessel. So we encourage exports because it benefits us, it benefits the Nigerian economy’’.

(Vanguard)