Category: Maritime

Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) is developing innovative methods to facilitate smart shipping by undertaking research across their research centres in Geoje, Daeduk and Pangyo in Korea.

According to the company, the aim is not only to transform Samsung’s shipyard at Geoje into a smart shipyard, but also transfer the wealth of technological knowhow from Korea to Nigeria, cultivating smart shipping in Nigeria as well.

The company noted that the innovations being worked on have the potential to bring about radical changes in the shipping industry, fostering the use of ecofriendly technology, a switch to digitised management and self-reliance on inspection for offshore engineering and more.

During the construction of the Egina, the world’s largest FPSO, Samsung Heavy Industries Nigeria (SHIN) was already able to apply many innovations from their Korean operations.This helped shorten the Egina project integration to seven months, the fastest in Africa among comparable projects.

Currently, rigorous research is underway at their onshore and offshore research and development (R&D) centres across Korea. The ICT Convergence Centre in Geoje, for instance, is working on integrating an innovative ICT and production technology in up to six categories.

The company aims to use Cloud, Big Data, and loT, among other advanced tools, to make shipbuilding and operations on the fabrication and integration yards smoother and smarter.

The technologies to be implemented will facilitate more efficient ways of working, lowering the cost of operations, increasing safety, and modernising the shipbuilding industry in Nigeria.

Sustainable method of production, based on digital modes of operations, is the need of the hour as every country makes its move towards energy transition.

SHI is planning to bring into existence radical methods of working that include fully functional paperless factories, real-time transfer of manufacturing records, 3D and 4D model visualisation, and map-based navigation, which allows for an easy-to-use real-time location guide for even unskilled workers. in complex offshore plants.

The firm has identified Nigeria and the West Africa region as an emerging market with an abundance of opportunity.

READ ALSO: Easing logistics at Lagos ports

“Our investment in West Africa is a long term one, rooted in helping develop local human capacity by leveraging our fabrication and integration yard to the benefit of the entire West African maritime industry,” Managing Director of  Samsung Heavy Industries Nigeria, Mr. Jejin Jeon, said.

The new and modern ways of working will not only empower Nigerian maritime industry but is a promising opportunity for the youths of Nigeria, who will receive hands on training in these necessary tools of smart working that are soon to become the norm in every industry in the near future.

“At Samsung, we believe in having big dreams and visions for the future and following them with passion. Given our present as well the near future is digital, it is high time the shipbuilding industry too started digitising its ways of working. We are looking forward to introducing these innovations to truly transform our ways of working in a complex industry such as shipbuilding. “Finally, we remain committed to ensuring that our relationship with the Nigerian community remains strong by continuing to train local staff in technical vocational skills,” Jeon added

By Adeyinka Aderibigbe

Wharf landing collection fees on vehicles and other products landing at the Lagos Ports are legal, the the state Wharf Landing Agency Chairman Chief Gboyega Salvador-Adebayo, has said.

Salvador-Adebayo, who was responding to an alleged clamp down on 15 vehicles by the agency for refusing to pay the fees, said  members of the Nigeria Licensed Customs Agent (ANLCA) and other Maritime union were aware of the wharf landing fees collection.

According to him, the Lagos State Wharf Landing Fees Collecting Authority Law was enacted in 2009, by the state House Assembly, sequel to the approvals by the office of the Joint Tax Board and the Federal Ministry of Finance in 2001 and 2002.

READ ALSO: WHO reports record daily increase in global COVID-19 cases

The agency chief said, according to the law, trucks, buses and cars leaving the ports, are expected to pay the  approved fees.

He said: “The agents claimed they pay N200 and they are issued a receipt. Let me state that the least of the wharf landing fees is N300 for cars and we don’t issue receipt. We only give stickers. The agency only issues receipt to those that pay penalty to the state government account.”

He said any person in possession of goods on which wharf landing fee is charged, whether as owner, shipper, transporter or agent, shall be liable to pay.

Salvador-Adebayo said  wharf landing fees collectors are not thugs as claimed by the agents and other maritime unions.They are collecting revenue for the Lagos State Government and majority of them are graduates, he added.

Muyiwa Lucas

To foster better understanding and more efficiency, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Area II Command, Onne Port, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, has reiterated the need for stronger collaboration with other security outfits.

The Command’s Area Controller, Comptroller Aliyu Galadima Saidu, stated this at  his meetings with the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State, Evelyn Peterside; Commandant, Nigerian Navy Training College, Onne, Commodore C. D. Okehie and the Unit Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Eleme Command, Assistant Corps Commander Lilian Nwanne.

Saidu, who praised the  collaboration of the Customs Command with the security outfits and other agencies of government in operations and capacity development, reiterated that it is in the best interest of agencies to work together as it is one of the keys to fighting insecurity.

He argued that security agencies’ continued close collaboration, would achieve a win-win situation for all and go a long way in suppressing crimes or criminalities.

“As officers working for the Nigeria in the area of security, we are like siblings, children of same parents, who report to the same final authority. In reality, we are members of one family manifesting in different colours because of division of labour. This personal relationship makes intelligence gathering and sharing very easy.While welcoming you to your new areas of posting, be assured of my support and cooperation on a round the clock basis whenever the need arises,” Saidu assured.

Specifically, Saidu lauded the new shooting range at the Naval Training College, saying that it will be of benefit to Customs operatives for retraining on shooting.

READ ALSO: Assault: Badagry monarch demands N10m compensation from Customs

He described the facility as  relevant to the improvement of maritime security. He advised the cadets be update on security issues.

Okehie acknowledged the importance of Customs in maritime security, saying they have over 119 cadets at the  college and that one of their objectives to expose cadets to sister agencies.

He added that the Navy does not work alone as it strives to maintain ties with other security agencies.

In similar vein, Peterside described the Customs as a sister security agency close to the heart of policing the country and providing security at the ports within. She also assured Saidu of an extension of her predecessors’ cooperation, promising to improve on her predecessors mark in the relationship between both agencies.

Also, the Unit Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps, Eleme Command, Lilian Nwanne, affirmed that the Corps seeks the cooperation of sister agencies to enable them extend hands of training their drivers as regards road movement and uses.

 

Muyiwa Lucas

APM Terminals Apapa and Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) have restored the evacuation of containers by rail from the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa as part of efforts to decongest the roads.

APM Terminals started the rail service in 2013 running thrice weekly to Kano and Kaduna.

During the exercise, General Manager, External Affairs of APM Terminals Apapa, Daniel Odibe, said the terminal and the NRC have developed a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), which would bridge communication gap and, ultimately, lead to more efficient cargo evacuation by rail.

He said the new SOP was facilitated by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council.

“We wish to thank the Nigerian Shippers’Council for facilitating this Standard Operating Procedure directed at improving service delivery to shippers and consignees.

This is an important milestone for the port. It is something we have always asked for. We want to have a Standard Operating Procedure for receiving trains into the terminal and servicing them. It definitely helps planning when you have adequate information ahead of time,” Odibe said.

READ ALSO: NCS Apapa command generates N39.877b in April

He said with the closure of a section of the Apapa Bridge for repairs, the cargo evacuation by rail will help in reducing backlog of cargoes at the port.

He said: “Our intention when we constructed the rail line in 2013 and connected it to the national line was to provide alternate mode of evacuation of cargoes to customers.

‘’So coming together to improve on the number of containers that we evacuate by rail line is coming at the best time with the bridge closure. It will take away some trucks from the road.”

Lagos District Manager of NRC, Engr. Jerry Oche, said: “A train is made up of 19 wagons and each  can take one 40 feet or two 20 feet containers.

‘’So, if we are doing 40 feet, that is 19 trucks off the road and if it is 20 feet, that is 38 trucks off the road per trip. We are starting with two trips per day and we hope to increase it in no distant time.”

Also, Director, Regulatory Services of Nigerian Shippers Council, Ifeoma Ezedinma, said: “This will help decongest our road because we  have multimodal transport – access to road, waterways and the train.”

By Oluwakemi Dauda

The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms  Hadiza Bala Usman, last week, assured the stakeholders that the Federal Government was doing everything possible to attract local and foreign investors to reposition the maritime industry  in the post- pandemic era.

She, however, expressed worry over the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control’s (NCDC’s) directive mandating incoming vessels to wait at anchorage for 14 days before approaching berth.

The Managing Director said this was bound to worsen the ports’congestion.

Speaking during a webinar tagged: COVID-19 and  the Nigerian maritime sector: Lessons and the way forward, organised by Mike Igbokwe (SAN), said the Federal Government was determined to harness the vast potential of the port industry to boost economic growth.

The NPA chief said the efforts put in place by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration during the lockdown would make the sector a new attraction for investors.

According to her, there needs to be free movement of vessels in line with the advisor issued by international bodies, including the International Maritime Organisation.

She stressed the need for  government’s agencies to remain dynamic, open and engaging with stakeholders.

She said: “Some of these policies need to be taken one day at a time.

“So, in line with the IMO submission, member-states should ensure that vessels are given the necessary free passage into and out of ports.

“We all need to convince the Presidential Task Force and all stakeholders that priority should be given for vessels to come in and out as required.’’

Her management team, she said, had in about four years turned around the agency and placed it on a good position to continue to contribute to the growth of the economy.

“We have some challenges; so, we should not put in place additional barriers to prevent this inflow into our ports. Some of the submissions that we have had from the Presidential Task Force around having vessels wait for 14 days from any country that has above 1,000 infections.

“We have been engaging with the PTF to lift that because almost every sub-region has passed these numbers; so we cannot say vessels should stay for an additional 14 days. This is a big concern that has been ongoing with shipping companies.”

She pointed out that the vessels were not the ones typically infected by COVID-19 but the crew, adding: “I keep saying that it is better for us to have those around the crew because the crew could be the ones that have any form of infection as it were, and ports health and NCDC have the necessary protocol applicable to that.”

On May 30, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered cargo vessels coming into Nigeria to be quarantined for 14 days before they were allowed to berth.

The measures were announced when the President announced an initial 14-day lockdown of Lagos, Ogun states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as part of efforts to curtail the spread of the coronavirus disease.

Also the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 had directed a close watch on countries with high rate of infection, as flights were banned from countries with over 1,000 cases.

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Mr Hassan Bello, reiterated that the maritime industry remains the backbone of international trade and that the sector has made remarkable achievements.

Also, a maritime lawyer, Mr Muhammed Oluwaseyi, who spoke on the sidelines of the event, said: “The maritime sector is on a journey. We are not where we are going yet, hence the government needs the continuous support of our stakeholders in our quest to realise a robust sector so that we can compete favourably with our counterparts in other  climes,” he said.

Muhammed said there was the need for operators to embrace maritime arbitration to resolve issues which emanated from their business.

He said arbitrators had been in existence for more than 10 years, adding that the arbitrators had assisted several port operators to solve maritime disputes.

He applauded the Minister of Transportation for  providing direction for the transportation sector and assured that lawyers would continue to champion the growth and development of the industry.

“The govenment  cannot do it alone. It must continue to collaborate with the stakeholders so that we can fully realise our mission of promoting and regulating shipping activities in Nigeria,” he said.

Also, the President, Shippers’ Association of Lagos State (SALS), Mr Jonathan Nicol, urged the Federal Government to pay more attention to port infrastructure.

Read Also: NPA nets N180b from dredging, equipment management

The government, he said, should position the ports to meet international best practices.

The President gave the charge in a chat with The Nation.

He called for the resuscitation of the informal sector of cargo management.

According to him, the informal sector will contribute about 45 per cent of the total cargo throughput (imports and exports).

He said there was the need to rebuild dead infrastructure at the ports to enable individuals to     assist in nation-building.

The Gulf of Guinea has remained in the news for not only its strategic positioning as a critical maritime hub, but for persistent marine crime, thereby portending dangers for the industry, MUYIWA LUCAS writes

The Gulf of Gulf of Guinea has become a strategic area for global trade borders for West African countries, including Nigeria,Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

It is a vital maritime area for movement of tankers, containers, bulk ships with potential for high-level commercial fishing and extraction of valuable marine resources.

The oil rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria accounts for most of the maritime-related crimes in the Gulf of Guinea, like vessel hijack, crew kidnap for ransom, illegal fishing, illegal oil trade, unlawful drug trade and arms trafficking.

According to the 2019 report of the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), the region accounts for 86 percent of crew taken hostage and nearly 82 percent of crew kidnappings globally despite drop in global numbers.

Aside impacting on the economies and security of its impacted states, the Gulf of Guinea has become indispensable for maritime interconnectivity in global trade and national

Figures from the IMB shows a 70 percent increase year-on-year in actual and attempted attacks in the region between 2017 and 2018, while last year there had been double-digit incident reports.

Sadly, Nigeria has remained the epicentre of these incidents in the last five years being victim of nearly 60 percent of incidents over this period, with the Congo and Ghana also experiencing a high number of attacks; the Congo accounted for 10 percent of attacks while Ghanaian waters saw eight percent.

Oceans Beyond Piracy, an industry watchdog, estimates that this cost West Africa  over $818 million in 2017 alone.

Unemployment

The problem has been attributed to be one of the main causes of maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea. This was the view of Ambassador Florentina Ukonga, Secretary-General of the Gulf of Guinea Commission.

Speaking on the sidelines of last year’s Global Maritime Security and Safety Conference (GMSSC) in Abuja, Ukonga said maritime states and member states of the commission should do more to provide youth employment.

According to her, a lot of skilled youths and trainable citizens of coastal communities in member states have not been given opportunities for employment and skill acquisition.

Their natural abilities to master the marine environment, operate maritime crafts with capacities to travel on fast-moving small boats to attack vessels and crew could have been channelled into productive use, if they were engaged to work in the maritime, oil, fishing and related industries.

Inadequate maritime patrol platforms

The Nigerian Navy (NN), despite support from foreign navies and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has always complained of having inadequate vessels to police its area of responsibility.

In the last oversight visit to the Naval headquarters by some lawmakers from the National Assembly, Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, said the fleet and other operational capability of the NN is not in doubt.

“Shortage of platforms is, unarguably, the most serious challenge confronting the Navy, considering the vast maritime space to be covered. The platform inadequacy and availability challenge can be traced to the NN’s participation in ECOMOG operations in 1990s, which prevented deployed platforms from undergoing regular planned maintenance schedule and refit.

“Coupled with international restrictions placed on the Armed Forces of Nigeria by foreign nations during the period, efforts to revamp the fleet could not be optimised. Currently, the present number and mix of platforms in the NN inventory is grossly inadequate vis-a-vis the scope of her tasks and the vastness of her Area of Responsibility (AOR).

‘’Overall, this inadequacy adversely affects the NN’s capacity to effectively secure the maritime environment, making fleet recapitalisation a top priority and urgent requirement. Hence, the MoUs with PMLCs only serves to augment NN platform requirement to enable her meet the enormous responsibility at sea.

“The NN has acquired offshore patrol vessels, fast-attack craft and more than 300 inshore patrol crafts. Ongoing foreign constructions expected within the short-to-medium term include the 100m Landing Ship Tank from DAMEN Shipyard Netherlands, 60m Hydrographic Survey Vessel from OCEA shipyards in France and 2x40m fast patrol boats from DAMEN Shipyard in Vietnam as well as 4 x 17m fast attack craft from ARESA Shipyard in Spain.

“The NN is also in the process of procuring Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to enhance our response capability. In consolidation of the local shipbuilding effort, indigenous construction of the Seaward Defence Boat 3 as well as water and fuel badges and houseboats are progressing steadily.

“The fleet renewal programme has evidently paid off with increased NN footprints across the maritime domain leading to the arrest of over 200 vessels and hundreds of suspects for various maritime offences in the last four years, aside the huge deterrence value,” the CNS said.

The challenge of inadequate platforms affects other countries in the region as they grapple with economic problems, political stability and the most recent Covid-19 pandemic that has affected every country and almost every industry in the world.

 Poor coordination

Almost every country in the Gulf of Guinea area is coming up with some very laudable home-grown initiative to fight piracy in the Gulf of Guinea but these strategies are not centrally coordinated.

Two years ago, the Federal Government promised to establish a national single window to facilitate clearance of goods and stop corruption at the ports. The government is yet to fulfil its promise. OLUWAKEMI DAUDA reports

About two years ago, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, promised to set up a National Single Window (NSW) platform to be managed by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). It was to be funded from the one per cent Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme.

Stakeholders said to end arbitary charges and payments and boost revenue from the non-oil sector, a single window must be put in place by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

The stakeholders spoke in separate interviews with The Nation.

An importer, Chief Solomon Ibidapi, said the government is losing 30 per cent of its revenue to the arbitrary charges.

“Without arbitrary charges and under-the-table payments, Nigerian port charges have been adjudged one of the cheapest in the West African region, going by the guidelines put in place by the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

“Based on the official tariffs,  port charges remain very cheap, but some uncertainties like ship security and safety have added to the cost and that is why we have many uncleared goods at the ports.”

He added: “When the cargoes are discharged, the process of clearance is very cumbersome, ranging from locating the container to going through the long room of the Customs Service.

“Then arranging for transport to take your cargo out of the port is another issue entirely.These are added costs that will eventually make the importers say the ports are the most expensive. So, what we need to do is for the Federal Government to implement the National Single Window to address those bottlenecks here and there so that we have a free flow of cargo in and outside the ports.”

An analyst Mr Muhammed Aladejobi said: “The implementation of a single window system will enable international (cross-border) traders to submit regulatory documents at a single location and/or single entity. Such documents are typically customs declarations, applications for import/export permits, and other supporting documents, such as certificates of origin and trading invoices.’’

Aladejobi lamented that Nigeria is the only country in Africa without a single window platform.

He recommended that the policy on single window be implemented to discourage physical examination of cargo by men and officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

Lack of implementation of a single window platform is reportedly costing Nigeria N1.08 trillion revenue yearly.

Aladejobi said if the Federal Government could put the NSW in place, Nigerians who patronised other African ports would return to the ports by the time the land borders were reopened.

The Vice President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Dr Kayode Farinto, said corruption is negatively affecting the cost of cargo at the ports.

Farinto noted: “If you look at the percentage of the under-the-table cuts,which is about 30 per cent of the port charges, and compare it to the 55 per cent of arbitrary charges being collected by government agencies and private operators, then you will agree with our submission.”

He explained that the 30 per cent of illegal charges could not be traced, but that the 55 per cent traceable arbitrary payment should be dealt with to reduce the cost of clearance.

Also, the Chairman of the Port Consultative Council (PCC), Otunba Kunle Folarin, also explained that the port charges were determined by  by operators.

He said cargo operations take about 60 per cent of the port cost, adding that these charges were not within the control of the NPA.

“The 60 per cent of port charges includes stevedoring cost, haulage cost, terminal handling charges, shipping companies handling charges and trucking are cargo related,’’ he said.

Folarin added that the only thing that is domiciled with the ports is harbour dues, which include pilotage and towage, which the government has control over.

He said NPA should not be blamed for the shipping firms charging a higher freight on cargoes coming to the country, noting that firms were key players in every port environment just as other private operators like the haulage drivers.

Findings revealed that revealed that non- compliance to smooth trade facilitation was increase in the level of discrepancies in importers’ names and other information provided on clearance documents.

It has been revealed that the non-compliance to smooth trade facilitation was observed that wrong classification of cargoes, transfer of value, concement and false declaration have continued to flourish at the ports.

The Comptroller- General of Customs (CGS) Col. Hammed Ali (rtd) had lamented the increase in discrepancies in information provided by importers on clearing documents.

The  CGS, who spoke at an interactive evening session of the 45th Annual General Meeting  of  the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in Lagos, noted that importers were cheating the Federal Government.

He noted that there was high rate of falsified documents at the ports, such as under invoicing and false declaration, saying that clearing agents.

“I can tell you categorically that less than five per cent of our importers processed their documents genuinely at the ports. We have discovered this through our investigations.

“Out of 100 containers imported, there are hardly 10 containers with genuine declaration. For any one Indian that is there, he must be supported by 10 Nigerians because we do not love our own country. You cannot go to their country and do this, but in Nigeria, anybody can come and cheat us.”

How secure were the two Lagos seaports during the lockdown to stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic through the port? In this report, OLUWAKEMI DAUDA looks at the critical roles played by terminal operators and government agencies.

 

To ensure that the port users did not disregard the regulations imposed by the Federal Government for checking the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic during the lockdown, the Nigerian Ports Authourity (NPA)  and the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) implemented a multi-layer strategy to keep the Lagos seaports and its environ safe, it was learnt.

Stakeholders, who spoke with The Nation, said there were strict adherence to the guidelines to stop the transmission of the virus.

Assessing the NPA, NSC and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), a maritime lawyer, Dr Dipo Alaka, said the management of the three agencies performed well.

Sources at the Federal Ministry of Transportation (FMoT) and Alaka said the agencies used intelligence and a risk-based strategy to get information on cargoes before they landed at Lagos port. They ensured that  the cargoes that are identified as high-risk were inspected by the health officials.

Another maritime lawyer, Mr Fola Ashade said, the officials of the agencies collaborated with the Customs and other agencies  to   assess the security of the ports in accordance with the guidelines  of the Federal Government, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the NCDC.

Ashade said the NPA and the NSC, apart from providing robust palliatives to port users and operators, the management of the two agencies, moved outside the box to ensure that the economy is not locked down

“Going by the  Federal Government directive that the ports must remain open in spite of the coronavirus pandemic ravaging the world, the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) and the Nigerian Ports Authourity (NPA) made efforts and worked tirelessly to make the ports attractive for business.”

An importer, Mr Adeyinka Agboke, added: “To achieve a seamless port operation during the lockdown, the Shippers Council and the NPA negotiated the suspension and non- payment of demurrage and storage charges.

“Apart from several stakeholders’engagement, the Shippers Council provided buses to convey port users and clearing agents for free from various locations across Lagos State.

“ The NSC also assigned some of its senior staff members despite the rampaging plague to work at various terminals to ensure that safety and healthy regulations are observed.

The Shippers Council and the NPA also brokered a meeting with terminal operators, Manufacturers Association of Nigerian (MAN), Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), freight forwarders, NACCIMA and the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to ensure the commencement of evacuation of cargoes by rail from the port.

Read Also: APM Terminals in Apapa inaugurate new cranes

 

“Before the government thought of easing the lockdown, every terminal within the port facility was required to establish and implement a comprehensive security plan that outlines procedures for controlling access to the facility, verifying credentials of port workers, inspecting cargo for tampering, designating security responsibilities, training, and reporting of all breaches of security or suspicious activity, among other security measures.

Working with other  and law enforcement agencies, the NSC, in collaboration with the NPA and NIMASA,  reviews, approves, assesses and inspects these plans and facilities to ensure compliance,” Agbokre said.

To participate at meetings hosted by the NSC, each agency  is expected to establish a risk management system to identify potentially high-risk cargoes, and automate their system.

The system also include a mechanism for validating threat assessments and targeting decisions and identifying best practices.

The agencies were also committed to sharing critical data, intelligence, and risk management information with the Customs and and other security agencies in the ports to do collaborative targeting, and developing an automated mechanism for these exchanges.

They agreed to conduct a port assessment to ascertain vulnerable links in a port’s infrastructure and commit to resolving those vulnerabilities and maintain integrity programmes to prevent lapses in employee integrity and to identify and combat breaches in integrity.

 

Terminal operators’ efforts

A frontline Roll-On-Roll Off vehicle terminal at ports, PTML Terminal and its shipping arm, Grimaldi Shipping Nigeria also offered importers and their freight forwarders a special concession on all-long standing imported vehicles within the terminal.

Spokesman of ANLCA at PTML Chapter, Comrade Ayokunle Sulaiman commended them, saying that clearing agents have started taking advantage of the waiver. “This is a good gesture from GrimaldiShipping, “ he said.