There seems to be confusion at the Lagos ports as importers will be forced to pay additional charges on vehicles and plants from June.
This, according to reports, is because Five Star Logistics Terminal and The Ports and Terminal Multipurpose Limited (PTML) have increased their terminal handling charges by 50 per cent at Tincan Island Port.
The concessionaires blamed the increment on inflation, huge operational cost and the nature of Nigerian ports, among others.
Reports say importers would pay the new charges on 2,850 units of used vehicles being expected to berth at PTML.
Data by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA)’s shipping position indicated that eight vessels would offload the used vehicles before the end of this month.
At PTML, Republican Argentina arrived at the weekend to offload 300 units. Also, Grande Morocco and Grand Lagos are expected at the terminal to discharge 350 units and 400 units respectively.
Other vessels awaiting berthing space are Grande Cameroon with 350 units; Gral. Sal Martin, 400 units; Grande Abidjan, 400 units; Grande Togo, 350 units and Grande Senegal, 300 units.
One of the concessionaires, PTML, said in a circular that the ever increasing operational expenses incurred and port operational environment had a huge impact on the company’s direct cost since the surge in inflation, which started between 2020 and 2021.
It said: “PTML tariff has not been adjusted for a number of years now, and it has become impossible for the terminal to provide same level of service as current prices.”
The Public Relations Officer of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), PTML chapter, Comrade Ayokunle Sulaiman, in his reaction said that apart from the terminal handling charges, delivery, documentation and demurrage charges had been increased, adding that there was no containerised cargo involved.
