Ojo Peter Akintoye (Chairman, IFFA, Tin Can Chapter)
I believe cargo tracking is to know the content of a particular consignment that shipping lines are shipping into the Nigeria, such cargoes would be tracked through the container number and we would be able to know where the ship is at every point in time during the voyage until it arrives at destination. It is the number of the containers that is really germane, it could be one million containers onboard. It is not really the job of shippers council to begin to reintroduce cargo tracking note, the shipping lines are already doing cargo tracking without any noise, they track the cargoes and the vessel to know the position at every particular time, some of them, if your contact is with them, they would call you on telephone to inform you of the arrival of the vessel, if there is delay, they still notify you. We are not faulting CTN being handled by shippers’ council, the only area we fear is the additional cost to shipping, if tracking must be done, it must be part of the responsibilities of the shipping lines, cargo tracking is very good.
Earnest Umunnakwe (Freight Forwarder)
Cargo Tracking is necessary because arms coming into the country incessantly without licenses or knowing where the arms would end up is very bad for the country, so I think that if the CTN can come in to curb the situation, it is all well and good, but on the other hand, it should be made such that it would not delay cargo traffic and port operations. If government is truly sincere and the carriers of customs orders being the customs would stand up and do the right thing, clearance of goods at our port would be done with ease, but as it is, no matter the laid down procedure, importers and clearing agents would always find a way to flout government order, so there has to be a cohesion and the CTN coming in is also welcomed.
Captain Abel Ogah (Master Mariner)
Well, that will be good they have the needed equipment and facilities to put those things in place. It is something that we are happy with. It is something that we must all support. It will help to restore integrity in our maritime sector.
Tunji Obagbo (Port and Terminal Management Academy)
Well, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council has been championing the implementation of CTN and they have been known for that, taking it out of them is like trying to start all over again. They have prepared themselves for it, so why not allow them to go ahead and be building on it. If the council promises that it would not lead to increase in the cost of shipping, it means that nobody would be penalized for not paying the CTN. The scheme is very good, from port of loading, you would be able to track wherever your cargo is, if there is any trans-shipment, you will equally know about it, even from the confines of your office, you would be able to track your cargo, to me, this is an improvement.
Seun Olukanni (Nigerian Institute of Shipping)
Absolutely, I do support the implementation of the CTN policy, I believe that with the implementation of the scheme, the efficiency rate in cargo movement into Nigeria will be outstanding. However, my major fear is the cost of shipping; in the past, stakeholders had protested it, I believe that with the efficiency in cargo movement, CTN will increase port cost, cost of shipping will increase as well. The CTN has its advantages and disadvantages, but the major disadvantage is the increase in shipping costs.
Nicodemus Odolo (Shippers Association)
I am totally against the Cargo Tracking Note being introduced by NSC because it will add to costs of cargo clearance. It was an idea founded on faulty foundation of deceit. The advance cargo tracking to be implemented by NSC is deferent from what is obtainable in the developed countries, where cargo are scanned and manifest for a ship sent to port of discharge in advance before loading for Custom authority and other agencies will give pre- shipment clearances before loading, so on arrival cargo are given final clearance without delay. The one introduced by NSC wasn't so. Therefore I rejected the introduction and work for its failure.
Paul Ndibe (CILT)
That will be beautiful, that will reduce the number of unwanted trucks on the road. As a matter of fact, they should do it in collaboration with terminal operators and shippers, so that some of the vehicles coming in can be known to be vehicles assessable to a particular terminal operator or shipper. They will have tag number so that whenever they are expecting a cargo they will start checking from the ones that have card on them. By doing that you will ensure that vehicles you register under your terminal or shipping company will be standard and if all agree to do that you will find out that all these unwanted and abandoned vehicles and trucks everywhere will not be there again. For instance, if your cargo comes through particular ports the cargo will be lifted by a truck attached to the terminal. So to me it is a step in the right direction.
Captain Joseph Awodeha (Master Mariner)
That would be a good development if you can track cargo, I don’t see anything wrong in that it is modernization we have technology that can affect all forms of life. If that serves as an improvement on the confidence of shipper to know where the cargo is at any point in time, I think it is a good development. Everywhere technology can be brought in to improve our system will be a good development.
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