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NSC tasks terminal operator on railway linkage restoration for cargo evacuation

By Adaku Onyenucheya
31 March 2023   |   3:25 am
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has charged the management of AP Moller Terminals (APMT) to see to the restoration of rail linkage in Apapa for the evacuation of cargoes from seaports to the Inland Dry Ports and hinterlands.

Train track

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has charged the management of AP Moller Terminals (APMT) to see to the restoration of rail linkage in Apapa for the evacuation of cargoes from seaports to the Inland Dry Ports and hinterlands.

The Executive Secretary of NSC, Emmanuel Jime gave the charge during a working visit by the management team of APM Terminals to the NSC at its headquarters in Lagos.

Jime noted that the council is promoting the establishment of Inland Dry Ports across the country, adding that it can only be effective through the use of rail to evacuate cargoes to their destinations.

Jime, who was represented by the Director, Regulatory Services NSC, Mrs Ada Ezedinma, stressed that the Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo has instructed that rail linkage to ports should be restored for cargo evacuation.

He said the council is looking forward to collaborating with APMT and the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to achieve this feat as quickly as possible.

Jime also maintained that Section 4 of the NSC regulation makes it mandatory for all regulated service providers to register with NSC, while urging APMT to ensure all its terminals are duly registered, while effective information sharing exists between the council and the terminal.

“The Inland Dry Ports in Kano, Funtua and Kaduna have been commissioned and the only way it can be effective is if you use rail to evacuate cargoes to their destination. We want to see how NSC, APMT and the NRC are going to ensure that rail linkage is restored as quickly as possible,” he said.

On his part, the Regional Managing Director, Africa and Europe, APM Terminals, Igor Van Den Essen, expressed commitment of the global terminal operator to work with the council to enhance the competitiveness of the nation’s seaports.

Essen emphasised the need for collaboration by all stakeholders to address the bottlenecks associated with cargo inspection and evacuation from the port, adding that functional rail lines are crucial to ease pressure on the roads.

He said APM Terminals is constantly looking for ways to improve on its processes to enhance service delivery to shipping lines, importers, exporters and agents.

On his part, the Managing Director APMT Nigeria, Frederik Klinke, noted that the terminal is committed to assisting Nigeria to increase the share of the containers that goes into scanning processes, adding that its terminal in Onne scans up to more than 30 per cent of containers in the terminals.

Klinke said rails are necessary in addition to the traditional evacuation of cargoes by land, which will be cost-efficient for the shippers to move cargoes in and out of the ports.

He noted that APMT is very much aligned with the objectives NSC on rail, assuring that its operators are ready to accommodate the rail system.

Also speaking, the Director Consumer Affairs, NSC, Cajetan Agu, stressed that the council expects quality service from terminal operators and is also interested in the reduction of cargo dwell time compared with other countries.

While calling for an improved engagement and relationship between both parties, Agu noted that the council has been fair and unbiased as a regulator and has always been independent in its decision without coercion.

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