ENDSARS protest rekindles container demurrage dispute

As Shippers’ Council seeks waivers, understanding

 Coming on the heels of the recent ENDSARS youths’ protests which disrupted economic activities nationwide including ports operations, the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) is working with shipping companies to find ways to ease the hardship occasioned by the disruptions.

The discussions which centres on the prospect of demurrage waiver recognizes that ports activities should be encouraged to flow unimpeded, with the port city of Lagos gradually returning to normal. A statement by the NSC informed that discussions are ongoing between the leaderships of the Council and shipping companies in Nigeria to find ways to accelerate clearing of cargoes from the terminals and collection of same by shippers who were unable to access the ports during the protest.

The statement signed by Rakiya Zubairu, Head of Public Relations, NSC, said the Executive Secretary/CEO of NSC, Mr. Hassan Bello is scheduled to also visit some terminals to progress discussions on demurrage waiver and other issues.

“Activities at Apapa, the port city of Lagos are gradually returning to normal as Lagos State government has eased the curfew by pronouncing that residents can move freely between the hours of 6am and 8pm. No doubt the activities of the past week caused a lot of disruptions for shippers.

“Just as it did during the COVID-19 lockdown, Nigerian Shippers Council is working with shipping companies to find ways to ease the hardship occasioned by the disruptions.

“Several discussions are taking place between the leaderships of the Council and shipping companies in Nigeria to find ways to accelerate clearing of cargoes from the terminals and collection of same by shippers who were unable to access the ports.

“Both sides are mulling the removal of demurrage charges on cargoes as one of the ways the hardship of shippers can be alleviated. The ES/CEO of NSC will also visit some terminals to progress discussions on the waiver and other issues.”

Similarly, freight unions have also appealed to terminal operators and shipping companies not to seek collection of demurrages for the period of the protest, so as not to slow down the pace of resumption in operation, noting that all stakeholders must be willing to make sacrifices under the circumstances.