The Federal Government has directed shipping companies to give their cargo manifest to the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) seven days before their ships arrive at the ports.
The advance manifest, it was gathered, will enable the government to know the cargoes’details and the risks before the vessels’ arrival.
The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) issued the directive during its meeting at the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) office in Lagos.
Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Industry, Trade and Investment Dr Jumoke Oduwole said the directive became imperative because of the government’s determination to enthrone global best practices and facilitate trade.
To ensure compliance with the Executive Order on 24-hour ports operations, Oduwole said the government had instructed that shipping agencies must submit their manifest electronically to the Customs and NPA seven days before the arrival of any vessel.
The measure, she said, would ensure that risk management is profiled and separated on time before the ship’s arrival.
The President Muhmmadu Buhari administration, she said, was focusing on issues causing insecurity, inefficiency and delay at the ports.
NSC Executive Secretary, Mr Hassan Bello, said the measure became necessary to achieve better service delivery.
He said the manifest would ensure security risk assessment before the ship and the cargoes arrival.
The measure, he said, would address delays in cargo placement and offloading.
Bello called on shipping companies and government agencies to work together to achieve the seven-day deadline.
He implored agencies at the ports to complement one another instead of competing with themselves.
Bello said the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) launched by the Council was a guide to port users, adding that the government was determined to provide an enabling environment for the stakeholders to move the maritime industry forward.
Former National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, (NAGAFF) president, Chief Eugene Nweke said the measure required carriers to send advance commercial information about their shipments to the Customs and NPA.
The collection and risk assessment of pre-arrival data, Nweke said, would improve the government’s ability to detect high-risk shipments before they arrive at the ports. Also, freight forwarders and clearing agents, he said, would clear low-risk, legitimate trade from the ports more efficiently.
No Customs officer attended the meeting. But a senior Customs officer, advocated that cargo-carrying vessels should provide information on the cargo manifest, such as its consignor, consignee, quantity of goods, origin, destination and value.
On the difference between the manifest and bill of lading, the Customs official said: “A cargo manifest and a bill of lading sometimes carry similar information and the concept is not always clearly distinguished. In some cases, a single document may serve both purposes.
“In general, a bill of lading serves as a legal instrument focusing on and documenting such issues as ownership, whereas a cargo manifest is often more concerned with physical aspects of the cargo, such as weight and size. When the cargo is being shipped by different shipping companies on the same vessel, there will usually be separate bills of lading for each company, but only a single consolidated cargo manifest. On the other hand, if the cargo contains dangerous goods, there may be a separate dangerous cargo manifest.
“In the United States, the government requires importers to file certain data elements before cargo destined is laden on board a vessel at a foreign port. These pre-importation filing requirements are known as the Importer Security Filing (ISF) or “10+2.”
“Although these requirements affect both importers and carriers, the ISF rule has become more import compliance focused. The ISF rule mandates that the following data elements must be filed at least 24 hours prior to the loading of the cargo on an ocean vessel bound for the United States: manufacturer /(supplier) name and address; seller’s name/address; buyer’s name/address; ship-to name/address; importer of record number; consignee number(s); country of origin of goods; commodity HTSUS number; container stuffing location; and consolidator/stuffer,” the official said.
He added: “With this directive, shipping lines are now required to electronically transmit advanced manifest of their cargoes to Customs and NPA as soon as the vessel departs the last port of call – this is to ensure there is enough time for risk assessment, profiling and optimised placement of cargo.
“Customs will then circulate the cargo manifests to other examination agencies and the terminal operators as soon as same are received from the shipping companies. Any shipping company that fails to transmit the advanced cargo manifest may be denied berthing rights or sanctioned by the government.”
Findings revealed that the measure was adopted in order to know the type of cargo and the risks involved before arrival, prepare for emergency, confirm stowage and plan storage for goods that need special treatment.
