NSC SEEKS DEMURRAGE WAIVERS DURING WEEK’S PROTESTS

By Innocent Orok

Hassan Bello, ES, Nigerian Shippers’ Council

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) is demanding for demurrage waivers for Importers by Terminal Operators and Shipping companies in Lagos ports during the week’s the EndSARS protesters disrupted activities in the Lagos ports.

The Council in a statement by its Head of Public Relations, Rakiya Zubairu on Monday said the activities at the Apapa port city of Lagos is gradually returning to normal.

“Activities at Apapa, the port city of Lagos are gradually returning to normal as Lagos State government has eased the curfew by pronouncing that residents can move freely between the hours of 6am and 8pm. No doubt the activities of the past week caused a lot of disruptions for shippers. Just as it did during the COVID-19 lockdown, Nigerian Shippers Council is working with Shipping companies to find ways to ease the hardship occasioned by the disruptions.

” Several discussions are taking place between the leaderships of the Council and Shipping companies in Nigeria to find ways to accelerate clearing of cargoes from the terminals and collection of same by shippers who were unable to access the ports.

“Both sides are mulling the removal of demurrage charges on cargoes as one of the ways the hardship of shippers can be alleviated. The ES/CEO of NSC will also visit some terminals to progress discussions on the waiver and other issues” she said.