The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) is seeking seamless collaboration with shipping companies as a means of driving efficiency, transparency and effectively attaining the goals of port processes.
The Executive Secretary Council, Emmanuel Jime, stated this when he visited Maersk Line and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) in Lagos on Tuesday.
Specifically, he urged the foreign shipping giants to ensure the continuity of the robust relationship they were having with NSC.
The NSC boss wants the shipping companies to operate and conduct their operations within the regulatory framework of the Council, adding that they are expected to give NSC team unfettered access to monitor their operations to ensure compliance to set standards.
Issues raised by the CEO include the need to ensure that charges or fees collected by shipping companies are tied to services rendered in order to stem exploitative tendencies and arbitrariness.
Others are to ensure shipping companies put in place a Customer Care Desk to expeditiously handle customers’ complaints.
The NSC helmsman called for full digitisation of operational processes for greater efficiency and effective management of return of empty container.
He charged the shipping companies to always ensure that consignees are not charged demurrage when their networks are experiencing downtime, while ensuring prompt refund of container deposit within 10 days.
Speaking, the Country Manager of Maersk Nigeria, Lara Lana, said the company has created mobile applications for its customers to aid operations.
In a visit to Mediterranean Shipping Company, the Managing Director, Andrew Lynch, said deplorable port access road was one of the challenges facing port operations.
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