N2.7bn saved from demurrages in two years, says NSC

The Nigerian Shipper’s Council said it saved a whooping N2.7bn between 2020 to 2022.

The council in its newsletter called ‘Complaint Newsletter’, a periodic publication of the agency, said the fund could have been lost to shipping companies, and terminal operators through demurrages, among others.

The NSC in the publication said during the period under review, it recorded a total of 1,727 complaints.

Giving a breakdown of the figures, NSC said that 2021 had the highest figure of complaints by shippers with 666 cases handled and N2.5bn recovered on behalf of the trading public in the year.

“Similarly, a total of 648 cases of complaints were recorded in the year 2020 despite the coronavirus pandemic, with N57m recovered. In 2022, a total of 413 cases was recorded, which was a clear indication of a sharp drop in complaints by the trading public, with a sum of N204m recovered on behalf of shippers and freight forwarders.

“Some of them are excessive charges while some are demurrage or container deposit refunds among others. Some are also on damages of cargo,” it stated.

Meanwhile, the port economic regulator said it observed that despite the decrease in the volume of cargoes in the country’s seaports, demurrage and detention remained high.

The council also urged importers and exporters to ensure that they engage professional logistics service providers to handle the clearing and delivery processes of their cargoes to ensure that all containers are returned promptly without accruing demurrage or detention charges.

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