The Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) has called on the Federal Government and relevant maritime regulatory agencies to immediately investigate and sanction shipping companies over their persistent failure to provide adequate facilities for the return of empty containers to ports.

In a petition against the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), signed by the National President, APFFLON, Frank Ogunojemite, the association said the continued refusal or inability of the shipping line to make available sufficient holding bays and designated collection points for empty containers has created unnecessary bottlenecks that frustrate cargo movement, delay truck turnaround time and worsen traffic congestion around the Tin Can and Apapa ports.

APFFLON lamented that many importers are compelled to pay excessive container detention and demurrage charges because they cannot return empty containers within the stipulated period due to the lack of available receiving spaces.

The association questioned why importers should be punished financially for a problem created by the shipping company, which it said amounts to exploitation of Nigerian businesses and runs contrary to the principles of fair trade and ease of doing business being championed by the Federal Government.

“It is unacceptable for a shipping company to continue issuing containers to importers without providing an efficient system for receiving the empty containers after use. This operational failure has become a major contributor to congestion at Apapa and is inflicting enormous financial hardship on importers, freight forwarders and transport operators,” the freight forwarders noted.

According to the association, while the Federal Government is investing heavily in road rehabilitation, port digitalisation and reforms aimed at improving efficiency and reducing the cost of doing business, such efforts are being undermined by operational practices that continue to impede the smooth evacuation of cargo.

The association warned that unless decisive regulatory action is taken, the country’s port reform programme may fail to achieve its intended objectives of reducing cargo dwell time, lowering logistics costs and enhancing Nigeria’s competitiveness as a regional maritime hub.

The association further demanded immediate provision of adequate holding bays and empty container collection centres by shipping companies as well as the suspension of demurrage and container detention charges where importers are unable to return empty containers because of inadequate reception facilities.