Presidential Committee On Port Reforms Introduces new Clearing Process

As part of measures to facilitate trade as well as find a permanent solution to the issue of congestion in Nigerian ports, the presidential committee on port reforms has directed that henceforth all documentations and payments on cargoes destined for Nigeria must be completed before the arrival of the vessel at the ports.
This decision was the outcome of a meeting which the committee held in Lagos yesterday with leaders of all the freight forwarding associations as well as other port stakeholders.

As part of measures to facilitate trade as well as find a permanent solution to the issue of congestion in Nigerian ports, the presidential committee on port reforms has directed that henceforth all documentations and payments on cargoes destined for Nigeria must be completed before the arrival of the vessel at the ports.
This decision was the outcome of a meeting which the committee held in Lagos yesterday with leaders of all the freight forwarding associations as well as other port stakeholders.
A source at the meeting told Shipping Position Daily that the committee has agreed with stakeholders that even before the vessel departs from the country of origin, the clearing agent or the consignee must ensure that all necessary payments and evidence of payment must have been carried out, ıncludıng proper documentation, which includes; Form M and the Risk Assessment Report (RAR).
The source also told our correspondent that the committee also directed that "ımmedıately the vessel arrives, the cargo goes through the scanner as it is being dropped from the ship, and the truck must have been positioned and it will ımmedıately move the container out of the port".
According to him, these are part of measures directed towards ensuring that the much touted 48-hour cargo clearance is realısed at the port and the ports are not turned into a warehouse.
Our correspondent also gathered that, in order not to slow down the process, cargoes that are found to be questionable under the new dispensation will be ımmedıately transferred to an off-dock terminal where proper scrutiny and examination will be carried out.
According to our source, the Chairman of the committee, Prof. Sylvester Monye assured stakeholders that the new procedure is not a departure from the Destination Inspection scheme which is currently being practiced in Nigeria, but that it is to complement it and make ıt to be more effective.
"Since congestion at the port has been reduced after the committee evacuated overtime containers to Ikorodu, there is now space at the port and this is why they called the meeting, so that stakeholders can come forward with their challenges and advice the committee and agree on how to make sure that 48-hour cargo clearance is achieved" our source said.
Shipping Position Daily confirmed that the new method has been endorsed by leaders of the freight forwarding associations and other stakeholders who were also invited to the meeting.