Customs Bemoans Low Activities At Lilypond Terminal

Comptroller of Lilypond Customs Command, Mr Willy Egbudin, has attributed the low level of activities at Lilypond Customs Terminal in Ijora to irregular transfer of containers to the terminal.

Egbudin told our correspondent  in Lagos last Wednesday that the irregular transfer of containers to the terminal by AP Moller had also affected activities of clearing agents at the terminal.

Our correspondent reports that the terminal is being operated by AP Moller-Maersk (APMM) Group.

“We have been experiencing a lot of low activities in this command.

“The issue is mainly because AP Moller is not ready to stem (transfer) containers to this terminal and not that the agents are not ready to work here.

“The people who are supposed to stem the containers are not doing that.

“AP Moller Apapa, I think, is just their management’s decision not to stem containers,’’ he said.

Egbudin said that the company said its clients preferred to use Apapa rather than Lilypond.

“So, we expect that when they have vessels, while they keep some, few should be stemmed to the terminal here, but that is not being done.

He said that the Lilypond Terminal was leased to APM Terminals and wondered why the company was not transferring containers to the terminal.

“If you look at it, I think Lilypond is a better place for them to work because Apapa right now, as am talking to you, is congested.

“It takes up to five, seven days to position one container, but here is empty. If you bring the containers here, I doubt if any agent will stay more than two days to take his container.

“AP Moller has taken that decision. If they really want to see what is happening let them stem the containers to this place and see if agents will like it or not.

“It is not for them to decide that agents prefer to use Apapa, whereas, in the actual sense, the agents actually want to use this place,’’ Egbudin said.

He pleaded with the management of APM terminals to transfer containers to the Lilypond Terminal to reduce congestion in Apapa port.

It will be  recalled that prior to 2007, the container terminal used to be deserted as shipping lines and importers shunned the facility due to several factors like severe flooding.