Even as truck drivers in the maritime industry are yet to call-off the strike they embarked upon since last week, freight forwarders have called on the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to intervene in the crisis, especially to stop terminal operators and shipping companies from taking advantage of the situation to exploit importers.
Even as truck drivers in the maritime industry are yet to call-off the strike they embarked upon since last week, freight forwarders have called on the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to intervene in the crisis, especially to stop terminal operators and shipping companies from taking advantage of the situation to exploit importers.
The freight forwarders told Shipping Position Dailythat the terminal operators and shipping companies are beneficiaries of the strike action and that many of them will be smiling to the bank with proceeds from demurrage charges after the strike is called-off.
Investigations revealed that N12,000 is charged daily by terminal operators and shipping companies as demurrage on a 20-foot container and N22,000 on a 40-foot container.
In a chat with our correspondent, the National President of Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN); Dr. Frank Ukor called on the Nigerian Shippers’Council to come to the rescue of stakeholders by ensuring that cargoes that have been dully cleared and waiting for exit are not made to pay demurrage after the strike.
"Shipping companies and terminal operators will charge demurrage whether we like it or not, they are milking freight forwarders, a lot of cargoes were ready for loading before the crisis, but they could not go out, now they will have to pay again"
"These people will never listen unless the Shippers Council looks into it, even though they have taken the Council to court, we will still ask"
"Even when we have public holidays, they still charge, not to talk of a strike that is not caused by them" he said.
The AREFFN President called on the Lagos State Government to put an end to the strike action and borrow a leaf from the Republic of Benin where trucks are only allowed to move between 10am to 4pm, and 7pm to 7am.
He said that it is not safe for truck drivers to move at night because of security implications.
According to him "there are times when traffic is heavy and there are times when it is lighter; mornings from 7am to 10am when people are going to work, the traffic is always heavy, after that it slows down till 3pm to 6pm when people are going back home"
"In Benin Republic, how they did it was that once it is 7am all trucks will park wherever they are, if you are seen on the road you will be arrested, once it's 10am again they can move, and once it is 4pm again they will park and wait until it is 7pm" Dr. Ukor said
Also speaking with our correspondent, Deputy National President of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF); Mr. Ugochukwu Nnadi warned that by the time the strike is called-off, anybody that his document has been completed should be allowed to exit the port unconditionally.
Nnadi advised the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to send a memo to shipping companies and terminal operators, directing them that every customer that have finished documentation should be allowed to pick their goods.
He said that failure to do this might again result into another strike action from freight forwarders.
"The terminal operators are not losing anything, don't be surprised that by the time this strike is over, they will ask you to go and pay additional money even though it's not your fault"
"They have been exploiting us and they will keep exploiting us because we have nobody to speak for us, when we speak they don't listen" he said.
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