Contrary to reports being peddled by a maritime publication (not Shipping Position Daily) that it has kicked against the Nigerian Shippers’ Council on the implementation of the International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN) the Shippers Association Lagos State has said that its position was mischievously twisted by the publication.
Clarifying its position through a press statement sent to Shipping Position Daily, President of the association; Rev. Jonathan Nicole said CTN has its benefits which include checkmating under declaration of cargoes hitherto being perpetrated by the high and mighty in the Industry.
The association has earlier in the week published a notice in a national daily, threatening to seek legal protections if shipping lines decide to transfer the administrative charges on the ICTN which is to be borne by them, to the shippers.
He said that ICTN will stop falsification of ship's manifests, and it will dictate the actual cargo tonnage of each vessel.
He said that the correct cargo tonnage will be manifested to break the back bone of the well-organized crime of cheating the Nigerian Government.
"The position of the Shippers Association Lagos State is clear. Give us a guarantee that the Shipping lines will not renege in the payment of the administrative charges in future as they did in MOCWA deal. A letter showing that shippers will not pay the administrative charges in the future is enough"
"At the moment, shippers are weary to load their cargo because the clear position of ICTN is still unknown. There should be calm in the Industry. Shippers Association Lagos State is not in any conflict with the Nigerian Shippers Council"
"We appreciate the support of all stakeholders in the Industry and wish to inform them that our nation will be better if some Nigerians stop falsification of cargo throughput."
The Nigerian Shippers Council as Ports Economic Regulator are to fix prices that must be honoured by all. We strongly support their struggle to retrieve excessive charges paid by shippers in all Debit Notes raised by the Shipping Lines and their agents", the association maintained.
Nicole equally observed that the 25dollars per TEU asked for by the Council is indeed not commensurate to the volume of money paid to the Shipping Lines for over twenty five years by shippers and importers ignorantly. He said that importers and shippers will assist the shippers’ council to demand for more.
"The beneficiaries of the old system are the ones clamouring for the scrapping of ICTN, and not the Shippers’ Association Lagos State”, he declared.
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