The hitherto cordial business relationship between shipping giants; Maersk Line and Grimaldi Shipping which had gone sour recently may have taken a bad toll on the PTML Command of the Nigeria Customs Service even as the command has lamented that it is experiencing a drop in revenue.
The hitherto cordial business relationship between shipping giants; Maersk Line and Grimaldi Shipping which had gone sour recently may have taken a bad toll on the PTML Command of the Nigeria Customs Service even as the command has lamented that it is experiencing a drop in revenue.
Shipping Position Daily gathered that Grimaldi Shipping, operators of the Ports and Terminal Multiservice Limited (PTML) a vehicle terminal at the Tin Can Port had enjoyed a working relationship with Maersk Line which ensures that containers belonging to the later are brought in through the PTML terminal thereby increasing business activities at the terminal.
Our correspondent however gathered that since the Maersk line pulled out of the terminal few weeks ago due to breakdown in the business agreements, the PTML Customs revenue has dropped as a result of the absence of Maesk vessels berthing at the terminal.
For instance, it collected N5.5 billion in May 2013 as against the N6.4 billion that the command collected in the corresponding period in 2012.
In a chat with Shipping Position Daily correspondent in Lagos last week, the image maker of the PTML Customs command, Mr. Steve Okonmah confirmed the development. He said that the pulling out of Maersk Line has affected the command drastically.
“So many things could be attributed to this; number one we had two major groups here. We had Maersk Line and Grilmadi Group. “Maersk Line was bringing their containers to us but some two months back they pulled out of this place for reason we cannot actually tell”, he stated.
“But now, Maersk Line has pulled out, so all the containers that were coming there before do not come again, we only rely now on Grimaldi ships, this is why we are working round-the- clock to block all loop holes to make sure we get every kobo for the government”, he told our correspondent.
He recalled that the command under Comptroller Zakari Jubril held a meeting with the shipping company in order to forestall the pulling out and that the Managing Director of the Maersk Line had come into Nigeria for the meeting, but all to no avail.
According to him,“all efforts were made by the CAC to find out the reason behind it. The MD (of Maersk) was able to tell us that they owned bigger ships and those ships cannot berth here because of the handling equipment.
“And that most of the time, they will be doing trans-shipment for the ones that will be coming here and cost wise, is not profitable to them.“
He explained that it is not cost effective and that it is better for them to pull out, it also has to do with business interest
Our correspondent gathered that the Maersk Line now prefers the services of Ports and Cargo Terminal at the Tin Can Port.
Okonmah said that the Maersk ships usually come to the terminal six times in a month but that now, none is coming in again.
Corroborating, Chairman of the PTML Chapter of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) Mr. Cosmas Ndimkora explained that the pulling out of Maersk Line has affected freight forwarders’ operations at the terminal as well as adversely affected the revenue of the Nigeria Customs Service.
“About 300 containers that are supposed to be here are not here, though Grimaldi has a ship but it will be better if more is added, it’s not that there is any problem, but as a businessman who likes to maximize profit , it will be better to add to what we had on ground now”, he stated .
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