Shippers Kick Against High Port Charges

The President, Shippers Association, Lagos State, Mr Jonathan Nicol, has pitched tent with the Nigerian Shippers Council in the face-off with terminal operators and shipping companies. The association said on yesterday that its members would resist high charges by shipping companies and terminal operators.
Nicol who said this in Lagos also added that the shippers’ associations had been calling for a reduction in port and other cargo handling charges for many years.
According to him, it is not a good thing for Nigeria to be labelled as the most expensive in the world– in terms of port operations.

“We do not see why the terminal operators and the shipping companies should be desperate to continue with their way of doing business. We believe that we will come together and fight the case, if need be,’’ Nicol said.
He said the shipping lines and terminal operators should know that without the shippers, without the cargoes, they would not raise invoices against anyone.
Nicol said, “We shippers would make up our mind whether to continue doing business in Nigeria or we look at how we can harmonise all the charges and get on with our business.
“Right now, some of the stakeholders said they would withdraw their services because of the high charges.
“It is something that affects all the stakeholders, down the line to the freight forwarders. So, shipping companies should not hold Nigeria to ransom.”http://shippingposition.com.ng/article/shippers-kick-against-high-port-charges