Shippers’ Council Boss Calls For Increased Cooperation Between Nigeria And UK

The Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Mr. Hassan Bello, has called for increased cooperation in the area of shipping and transport between Nigeria and the United Kingdom
This call was made recently when the Director, UK Trade and Investment, Mr. Mike Purves, paid a working visit to the Corporate Headquarters of the Council in Lagos.

The Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Mr. Hassan Bello, has called for increased cooperation in the area of shipping and transport between Nigeria and the United Kingdom
This call was made recently when the Director, UK Trade and Investment, Mr. Mike Purves, paid a working visit to the Corporate Headquarters of the Council in Lagos.
 Mr. Bello, while addressing the Director expressed the readiness of the Council to promote a viable shipping trade that is capable of attracting investors into the maritime industry stressing that the Council is actively promoting a multi-modal transport system.
The Executive Secretary, who commended the Director for the courtesy visit, stated that some of the projects being designed by the Council for this purpose include the Inland Container Depots and Container Freight Stations and Truck Transit Parks in designated locations in the country.
 Bello further explained that the establishment of Inland Container Depots and Container Freight Stations would in addition to decongesting the ports; also provide employment opportunities as it is capable of attracting other subsidiary service providers.
 The Inland Container Depot Project if properly harnessed would open more trade corridors between Nigeria and its landlocked neighbours and called on the UK investors to take advantage of opportunities provided by this project.
 He reminded his guest of the long standing business relationship between the Council and the UK Trade and Investment   and further disclosed that the Council had done extensive survey   for the establishment of Truck Transit Parks on Public Private Partnership arrangement. The Parks, he stressed would be located along major  trade \traffic corridors in the country such as Ogere in Ogun State, Ore in Ondo State, Onitsha in Anambra State, Lokoja in Kogi State, Mararaba Forest in Kaduna State and Port-Novo Creek in Lagos State.
Mr. Bello explained that the establishment of the Parks is one of the many ways of protecting the interest of shippers by ensuring that their cargoes arrive at designated warehouses on time and with minimal damages as a result of human errors occasioned by fatigue on the part of the truck drivers while on long trips.
He then called on Mr. Purves to assist the Government by attracting foreign investors in these identified viable areas in the transport sector.
In his response, Mike Purves congratulated the Nigerian Shippers’ Council for coming up with the ICD projects and the Truck Transit Parks and promised to promote the projects to UK investors especially on the viability of the projects.
He then urged the Council to always endeavour to use appropriate platforms offered by major stakeholders in international trade and shipping for the benefit of the nation’s maritime industry.