Just
days into the New Year, the volume of vessels stuck on the Lagos waters is
increasing, even as the port terminal reels under intense congestion.
Currently, about 24 ships are waiting to berth at the Lagos pilot anchorage due
to the cumbersome documentation process by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).
The Guardian gathered that the volume of cargoes coming through the seaports
has increased tremendously owing to the lingering closure of the land borders.
Statistics from the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), obtained by The Guardian
yesterday showed that the vessels were tagged: CRNAPP, meaning, Customs Release
Not Applicable (West Coast).
The
vessels, mostly laden with containerised cargo, also have wheat, Premium Motor
Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, and base oil among others, are currently
waiting to berth upon Customs approval.
However, about 21 more ships are expected at the Lagos Pilotage District,
between now and January 28th, with five of them laden with petrol and others
conveying fish, sugar, general cargo, base oil, salt, gypsum, and containerised
cargoes.
Recall that the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA),
recently called on the Federal Government to urgently direct vessels on the
Lagos, Port Harcourt, Onne anchorages to other seaports, to avoid congestion.
National President, ANLCA, Uju Tony Nwabunnike, said ships waiting to berth in
Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Onne ports are accumulating, and therefore need to be
immediately diverted to other ports.
He said: “We observe that a lot of ships are presently waiting to berth in
Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Onne, thereby attracting trucks and other heavy-duty
vehicles to these areas.
“This development has not only hampered free movement of cargo laden trucks,
but it is also impacting adversely on the ongoing port access road
construction,” he noted. Nwabunnike said apart from causing loss of revenue to
the government, the situation can also lead to unemployment and slow national
economic growth.
“We hereby call on President Muhammadu Buhari to direct that ships waiting on
Lagos and Port Harcourt anchorages be diverted within a period of three months
to ports in Warri, Delta State, and Calabar, Cross River State,” he said.
According to him, Nigerian-bound cargoes are presently being diverted to Duala
Port, Cameroun, due to the long waiting period and cargo owners’ desire for
quick turnaround time for vessels. He said shippers and cargo owners are very
conscious about ships turnaround time, and will likely embrace opportunities
for quicker discharge of cargoes.
He argued that if the government could divert those vessels to other ports in
Nigeria, this would aid the Ease of Doing Business, reduce the number of trucks
on some port access roads, and allow speedy execution of the ongoing
construction along the ports road corridor.
“It will also help in averting avoidable congestion with adverse effects in
Lagos and Port Harcourt ports.
“This action requires some urgency before we enter another rainy season when
construction work may be slowed down, as it could lead to massive job losses if
not approved and implemented.“It will also make for even distribution of
maritime trade among cities where ports are domiciled while opening the economy
to fresh business opportunities,” he said.
- The Guardian, January 7, 2020