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Maritime

Exporters Seek Withdrawal Of New Terminal Charges

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10 years ago

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The Head of Logistics,
Rubber Estates Nigeria Ltd., Mr Stephen Usih,  has urged terminal operators to withdraw new Terminal Handling Charges (THCs) on container -laden exportable goods which took effect June 1.
Usih, who said he had the mandate of other exporters to speak, made the plea in an interview with newsmen  in Lagos.
A breakdown of the new THCs shows: N40,000 on 20 ft. container and N60,000 on 40 ft. container.
He suggested that the THCs should be suspended to allow a stakeholders’ meeting of terminal operators, shipping lines, exporters and Nigerian Shippers’ Council.
“Everyone involved has to discuss on the issue to have realistic figures as terminal handling charges.
THCs are charges collected by terminal authorities at each port against handling equipment and maintenance.
Usih said that the shippers (exporters) were also paying the N4,123 as delivery charges which had to do with the loading of empty containers and off-loading of full containers.
According to him, N4,123 was charged at the exchange rate of N165 to a dollar, an equivalent of 25 dollars per container.
“If now, the current exchange rate is N350, at 25 dollars per container, exporters are still ready to pay N8,750 as delivery charges.
“Even if increased to 50 dollars per container, the exporters will still pay N17,500,’’ he said.
According to him, exporters will accept a reasonable increase in delivery charges based on the excuse given by the terminal operators about the prevailing exchange rate of the naira to the dollar.
“Considering the nature of services rendered by the terminal operators, which is to load empty containers and offload full containers, N40,000 additional charge on a 20 ft container is not justifiable,’’  Usih said.
He also requested that the payments “have to be made directly to the shipping lines as being done over the years, where payment is done at the time of collection of the Bill of Lading after departure of containers’’.
“Globally, the charges are paid after the departure of the vessel but now exporters have to pay 48 hours before the arrival of the vessels, thereby making the documentation processes more cumbersome,’’ Usih said.
He told our sources  that exporters were not ignorant of the situation of the country “but are saying that things should be done appropriately’’.
Usih said that it was the noble idea of the Federal Government to diversify the economy into non-oil exports with agricultural commodities accounting for 90 per cent of the non-oil exports.
“With the government’s quest to diversify the economy, the key thing is to make export business profitable in order to convince people to venture into it.
“With the new terminal handling charges, the objectives will not be achieved.
“It will scare away new entrants into exports. With government’s pronouncement, people have started exporting at least one container load on monthly basis.
“ An exporter who is exporting a container load of a commodity valued at N4 million per container, the maximum profit he could make is N100,000,’’ Usih said.
According to him, with the additional N40,000, the terminal operators have already removed 40 per cent of the gross profit and this will not make the export business lucrative any more.
He said that Rubber Estate Nigeria Ltd. (RENL) shipped 1,000 containers of processed rubber annually, “and you can imagine the effect the terminal handling charges would have on our company’’.
“With the new charges, this will translate to N40,000 multiplied by 1,000 containers which will make a total of N40 million to be paid by our company as terminal handling charges,’’ Usih said.
He told The Tide that the company might reduce its staff strength with the present situation.
In a reaction, a source close to the Seaports Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), confirmed the introduction of the new container handling charges for exports.
The source told The Tide that since the last 10 years of port concession, terminal operators were handling containers of exportable goods free of charge.
According to the source, the free charge cannot go on forever considering the situation in the country.
He said that the newly-introduced charges on containers to be exported were still lower than what importers were paying.

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Maritime

MWUN REAFFIRMS NON-PARTISAN STANCE AHEAD OF 2027 ELECTION 

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2 weeks ago

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March 16, 2026

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The Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has reaffirmed strong positions towards maintaining non partisan stance ahead of the 2027 general elections .
The President General of MWUN, Comrade Francis Bunu disclosed this while welcoming executives from the Transporters for Tinubu 2027 Political Support Group at its headquarters on 119 Osho Drive, Olodi-Apapa, Lagos,
The union boss underscored MWUN role as a neutral player in national development.
According to a statement signed by Comrade John Kennedy Ikemefuna, Head of Media for MWUN, the union’s President-General, hosted the visitors who outlined their initiative.
Comrade Bunu expressed gratitude for the recognition, affirming the union’s support for any efforts promoting progress, unity, and development in Nigeria.
He emphasized, however, that MWUN remains strictly non-partisan, committed solely to good governance and strategic initiatives that elevate the nation regardless of political affiliation.
This engagement highlights MWUN’s frontline position in labor and transport while reinforcing its impartial dedication to the country’s advancement.
The group aims to foster collaboration among government, transport operators, private entities, and grassroots stakeholders to boost national mobility, economic growth, and sectoral reforms.
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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Maritime

ASU BEKS APPEALS TO GOVT FOR TANTITA TO MANAGE NIMASA’S ABANDONED N50BN FLOATING DOCKYARD 

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2 weeks ago

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March 16, 2026

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The Chief Executive Officer of Maritime Media Limited and Convener of the Maritime Industry Merit Awards (MIMA), Elder Asu Beks, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to concession the abandoned floating dockyard owned by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), describing the asset as a “national embarrassment” after more than a decade of neglect.
Speaking during a live interview on Arise TV on Tuesday, Asu Beks said the floating dock, valued at about N50 billion, was originally planned to be deployed at Okerenkoko in Delta State to support training activities at the Nigerian Maritime University.
 According to him, the asset has remained largely unused since its acquisition in 2016, moving between different facilities including the Naval Dockyard Limited, Continental Shipyard Limited and most recently Snake Island in Lagos without being fully operational.
Beks said the prolonged inactivity of the dockyard represents a huge financial loss to the country, especially as government continues to incur costs in maintaining the facility.
 “Why should Nigeria allow an asset worth about N50 billion to waste away for over 10 years?” he asked.
 He urged the Federal Government to urgently concession the facility to a credible Nigerian private company capable of restoring it to full operational capacity.
 Beks specifically suggested Tantita Security Services Limited as a possible operator, citing the company’s track record in oil pipeline and maritime security operations in the Niger Delta.
“With the operational network and technical capacity of companies like Tantita, this abandoned asset can be transformed into a profitable national facility,” he said.
 The maritime stakeholder also criticised past leadership in the sector for failing to address the situation, particularly during the tenure of former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who served for eight years.
 According to Beks, the continued neglect of the floating dockyard raises serious questions about asset management in Nigeria’s maritime sector.
 He also questioned why successive leadership of NIMASA  including former Director-Generals Dakuku Peterside and Bashir Jamoh did not resolve the issue during their time in office.
 Beks urged the current Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, to take decisive action and change the narrative by ensuring the asset becomes productive.
He argued that reviving the dockyard would provide significant economic value to the country, particularly by strengthening ship repair capacity and supporting maritime training.
 Beks further noted that issues such as the operationalisation of the floating dockyard and economic regulation in the shipping sector remain far more critical to the industry than symbolic achievements.
 He stressed that Nigeria must prioritise the effective utilisation of strategic maritime assets to drive economic growth and reduce dependence on foreigners
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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Maritime

NPA LICENSE APPROVAL DELAYS IS WORRISOME—ANLCA SCRIBE

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2 weeks ago

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March 16, 2026

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Clearing agents operating at the nation’s ports have criticized the Nigerian Ports Authority ( NPA) over it’s silence regarding unprocessed operational licenses.
The agents warned that the situation could disrupt cargo clearance activities across the ports if urgent action is not taken.
Speaking during a media briefing, the National Public Relations Officer of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Mr. Emmanuel Onyeme called out spokesperson of the NPA, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, over alleged failure to respond to calls and messages from stakeholders.
Onyeme said dozens of freight agents who submitted applications for the NPA’s Clearing & Forwarding License operational clearance for PortPASS- an authority to do business with shipping companies have not received any response for more than two weeks
According to Onyeme, the approval from the NPA is a crucial requirement that allows freight agents to gain access to the ports and transact business with shipping companies and terminal operators after securing their licences from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
“Without the Clearing & Forwarding License issued by the NPA, freight agents can not access the ports or engage shipping companies and terminal operators for cargo releases . It is a critical operational requirement,” Onyeme said.
He disclosed that the approval process, which was previously handled at NPA offices within the seaports, has recently been centralised at the authority’s headquarters, forcing agents to submit their documents directly to the office of the Managing Director.
However, Onyeme noted that many of the applications have remained unattended to it.
“As we speak, several freight agents have submitted their documents to the Managing Director’s office, and these applications have been lying there for more than two weeks without any form of response,” he said.
He warned that the silence from the authority is already creating anxiety within the freight forwarding community, especially as many shipping companies and terminal operators have indicated that from April 1, 2026, previously issued NPA Licence approvals will no longer be recognised.
Onyeme further expressed frustration over the lack of communication from the NPA’s spokesman, alleging that repeated attempts by stakeholders to reach him have been unsuccessful.
“The situation is worrisome because there is absolutely no feedback. Calls and text messages sent to the NPA spokesperson have not been responded to, leaving Custom Brokers and freight forwarders agents in the dark over the fate of their applications,” he said.
According to him, the delay could prevent many licensed customs agents from accessing the ports or engaging shipping companies, thereby affecting cargo clearance and port-related businesses.
He therefore called on the management of the NPA to urgently intervene and ensure that the pending approvals are processed without further delay.
“Even if the Managing Director is out of the country or unavailable, there should be a system that allows someone else to handle such important operational matters promptly,” Onyeme added.
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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