Freight forwarders shut down MSC, PIL, LANSA over controversial tariff hike
Freight Freight forwarders across Lagos ports on Wednesday staged a coordinated protest at the offices of major shipping lines in Apapa, Lagos, rejecting recent increment in shipping charges.
The protests, which began at MSC Shipping’s office along Commercial Road, Apapa also held at Lagos and Niger Shipping Company (LANSA), and Pacific International Lines (PIL), led to a total shutdown of business operations at the respective shipping companies.
According to the aggrieved freight forwarders, the protests will continue until there is an immediate reversal of the hiked shipping tariffs to former charges.
Leading the aggrieved freight forwarders, the Zonal Coordinator, Western Zone, Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Alhaji Femi Anifowose, described the actions of MSC, PIL and other shipping companies as embarrassing they flouted NSC’s directive to suspend the earlier-approved shipping charges increment.
Meanwhile, during a brief meeting with the freight forwarders, the Managing Director of MSC Nigeria, Mr. Jake Iosso, maintained that NSC never provided a written notice stipulating the suspension of the increased charges.
Iosso confirmed that NSC had told the shipping companies to suspend the implementation of the new rates until robust engagement held with freight forwarders, shippers and other stakeholders.
He, however, couldn’t disclose when an engagement held between the shipping company and shippers/ freight agents in line with NSC directive at the last stakeholders summit.
It was revealed that NSC only published a press release directing an indefinite suspension whereas MSC Nigeria described the initial approval for the increment as a more authoritative document.
Also speaking, the National Publicity Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Emmanuel Onyeme, lamented that MSC is known for unprofessional approach to shipping business without sufficient empty container holding bays to cater for empty boxes.
The MSC Nigeria boss, however, listed
Medlock, AGL, SIFAX Ijora as facilities acting as its holding bays for empty containers.
According to Onyeme, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council had earlier assured operators of a stakeholder meeting on the issue and directed shipping lines to suspend any planned increases.
“We were told in January that there would be a meeting to address this matter, and that the increments should be put on hold. However, shipping companies went ahead to raise their charges regardless,” he said.
Amid the protests at MSC, PIL, and LANSA, our correspondent gathered that efforts by the leadership of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to engage the freight forwarders were resisted with the freight agents insisting that there was no basis for dialogue until an immediate reverse of the hiked charges.
A management staff of NSC, however, condemned the unprofessional and rude conduct of freight forwarders, especially the attitude of blocking regulators from accessing MSC facility to hear their appeal and address the situation.
“They behaved like touts, we went to engage them professionally. The Executive Secretary of NSC, Dr. Akutah Pius MON, wanted to address the matter and they didn’t give him that opportunity.
“We want a sane environment where people can sit around a table to discuss issues and resolve disputes. Sadly, the implication of their actions by stopping NSC’s effort to broker peace is that they may be have to be demurrage for the delays as a result of the protests today.”
The NSC source disclosed that during the previous protest on the same increment weeks ago the Council intervened to stop MSC from collecting charges for the 2-day period.
On his part, the President of the Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON), Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, described the tariff increase as “inhumane,” warning that it would trigger higher cargo clearance costs and worsen inflationary pressures.
Although Shippers’ Council directed the shipping companies to engage freight forwarders and other service users, News Diet findings revealed that MSC and several others never engaged their stakeholders before effecting the increment again.
Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents Lagos and Niger Shipping Agency Mediterranean Shipping Company National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders Pacific International Lines.
