Nigeria Threatens to Penalize Terminal Operators for Illegal Charges
The Nigerian Shippers Council ordered terminal operators to refund unauthorized transfer and storage charges on shippers and freight forwarders or “face serious sanctions,” the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported Oct. 13. Shippers and freight forwarders complained to the NSC,…
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the country’s port regulator, that they have been “arbitrarily charged levies” on container demurrage, storage and transfer by shipping firms and terminal operators for the “transport of goods to off‑dock terminals without their knowledge,” the report said. The NSC ordered port operators and other shipping agencies to “immediately” refund the charges collected since June 1 or face a “total shutdown.” Some terminals have not complied with the order, including Nigeria’s Denca Bonded Terminal, which allegedly owes more than $100,000 (in U.S. dollars) in refunds. The NSC plans to place staff at bonded terminals “to gather weekly reports on charges.” NSC issued guidance, according to the HKTDC report, indicating that “storage and demurrage fees on goods that need to be moved from seaport terminals to off‑dock terminals without the consignees’ consent should only be imposed after the goods’ arrival at the designated off‑dock terminals.”