Leading RORO shipping group, Grimaldi has unveiled new electronic services through its web portal to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of its processes.
Managing Director of Grimaldi Agency Nigeria Limited, Ascanio Russo said the new e-services will enable customers view ship rotation numbers of previous eleven vessel calls and five upcoming Grimaldi vessel calls to its terminal, PTML Terminal in Lagos.
“With this new portal that we have launched, our export customers can also look at the expected vessel schedule for their planning.
“They can generate estimates by following some simple steps on the same web portal and make invoice payment for containers, vehicles and general cargo using their internet Bank NIBSS payment platform or through any debit/credit card or just simply walking into any bank branch nationwide,” Russo said.
He said the new e-service will enhance delivery of cargo at the port as it is fast, convenient, secure and available every day of the week including weekends, all year round.
According to Russo, “Customers need not come or call our office to check for rotation numbers or ETA of vessels. They are updated real time and hence the most recent information is available.
“Customers and agents do not need to wade through the busy Lagos traffic to obtain estimates from agency and terminal operators or make payments and they can make savings on bank charges as well as save transportation time and costs.
“By deploying the first encompassing e-payment platform in the Nigeria shipping industry we allow importers and agents to view and pay their invoices online in the comfort of their office.”
He said despite the huge drop in cargo volume at the terminal occasioned by the National Automotive Policy, Grimaldi Agency and PTML Terminal will continue to introduce innovative ways to enhance service delivery to its customers and make life easier for them.
“We witnessed more than 70% drop in roro traffic at the terminal last year because of the high import duties as a result of the auto policy which fuelled diversion of vehicles to the Port of Cotonou but despite this, we remain committed to enhancing our operations.
“We also remain committed to helping government achieve speedy clearance of cargo at the port and enhancing revenue collection,” he said.
The Grimaldi Group has been offering shipping services to Nigeria for over 40 years and in 2005 signed an agreement with the Federal Government of Nigeria to develop a new terminal – Ports & Terminal Multiservices Ltd (PTML) – in Tin Can Island Port on BOT basis.
Under the BOT agreement – the first of its kind signed by the Federal Government in the maritime sector – Grimaldi assumed the obligation to build the new infrastructure at its own cost, to manage it for 25 years, to pay royalties to the Nigerian Port Authority and to return it at the end of the concession to the Federal Government.
The first phase of the Terminal – which entailed the construction of a new 220mt berth, the paving of 220,000 sqm and the provision of all necessary infrastructure – was commissioned in a record 16 months. Since then the Terminal has continued to grow and today with an area of over 350,000 sqm and a quay length of 600 meter, it is the largest Ro/Ro terminal in West Africa, with an annual throughput of over 100,000 containers; 150,000 vehicles and 200,000 tons of general cargo.
Copyright Ships & Ports Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit given to www.shipsandports.com.ng as the source.
