Determined to arrest the soaring costs of doing business in Kenyan ports, the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) has scrapped scanning and verification charges for containers.
Disclosing this last week, KPA’s managing director, Mr James Mulewa, said that the step was necessary so as to cut down costs. The development also coincided with the commencement of minor tariff adjustments on all consignments.
Agency reports quotes the managing director as saying that:”Payments for scanning, verification, inspection and associated stripping or stuffing for 20-foot and 40-foot containers have been removed”.
He added that licence fees for private mooring, buoys and jetties have also been reduced from US$500 (about Sh37,500) to US$200 (about Sh15,000) per annum, while the free period for storage of domestic containers will be five days and those on transit 11 days.
Free period for imports and trans-shipment cargo commences from the next day of completion of discharge of the vessel, while the free duration for export cargo will start from day of receipt.
Meanwhile, the channel leading to Mombassa port will be dredged to accommodate bigger ships, subject to National Environment Management Authority’s (NEMA) approval.
Illegal Bunkering: Court Orders Detention of Vessels, Crew 5
The High Court in Benin has ordered the arrest and detention of two vessels: Mt Concep and Mt Molap Edurance as well as the ships’ captains and crew for allegedly illegally evacuating the content of another vessel, Mt Akuada which was reportedly impounded early this year by the military Joint Task Force (JTF) over alleged illegal bunkering activities.
The court issued the warrant of arrest based on an ex-parte motion filed by Mr. Frank Omiunu, on behalf of he owners of Mt Akuada.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Chukwura Nnamani, held that the court decision had become imperative, considering the fact that the contentious issues involving the arrest of the vessel in question was still pending before another competent court of law in the country.
In its notice of arrest dated September 25, 2009 based on the suit number FHC/B/CS/141/2009, a copy of which was sighted by our correspondent, Erwin and 12 others were joined as respondents with both the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Mt Akuada as Applicants.
In the ruling, the Judge urged President Umar Yar’ Adua to approve the arrest of Mt Concep And Mt Molap Endurance and any other vessels, crew or persons found on board the said vessels evacuating the content on board Mt Akuada detained at the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA) Jetty in Warri, Delta State.
After hearing the prayers, the judge declared that: “we hereby command His Excellency, President Umar Musa Yar’Adua, to effect the arrest of these vessels, crew or persons found on board the said vessels and the cargo therein now positioned beside the Mt Akuada now lying within the jurisdiction of this court and to keep the same under safe arrest and detention until you shall receive further order from this court.”
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