” We would have abandoned the cargo if not for NSC’s intervention” …… School
The Complaints Unit of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council has today intervened and amicably resolved a complaint of outrageous Groupage cargo charges worth USD 1,850.00
In a letter of complaint to the Council by Rockland Polytechnic, East-West Road, Afaha Akai, Okobo LGA, Akwa Ibom State, the school stated that they shipped ”Two Light Consignment, Aluminum Cutter and Crimping Machine weighing (5.1CBM) via Fortune Global Shipping and Logistics Ltd, on Bill of Lading and Container Numbers: LGZLGS23904334SZ and TCLU893147 ( groupage Cargo) that has total Cost Insurance and Freight (CIF) value of USD 1,850.00 was charged by a De-Consolidation Company, Fortune Global Shipping and Logistics Ltd, Lagos the sum of N742, 421.88 (Seven Hundred and Forty-Two Thousand Four Hundred Twenty-One Naira, Eighty Eight Kobo) as shipping charges and N92, 987.50 (Ninety Two Thousand Nine Hundred and Eighty-Seven Naira Fifty Kobo) only as terminal charges respectfully.”
The polytechnic also maintained that the charges meted on their cargo are outrageous and requested for Shippers’ Council’s immediate Intervention.
In an effort to resolve the Complaint, a tripartite meeting was convened under the Chairmanship of Mr. Daniel J. Orume, a Deputy Director, who welcomed all parties and urged them to exercise decorum and desist from using nasty language during the tripartite meeting.
The De-Consolidating Company (Fortune Global) was represented at the meeting by Mr. Chime Kingsley, Groupage Manager, LCL of the Company, while the Polytechnic was represented by an agent, Elder Pius Nyong.
After a critical analysis of the Complaint in line with the industry standard, in addition to the series of phone calls to other relevant stakeholders associated with the cargo, the meeting reached the following resolutions:
– That the De-Consolidating Company offered N600.000 out of almost N1M charges because of NSC Intervention as full and final payment, while the Polytechnic (consignee) agreed to pay and take delivery on or before Friday, 15th December 2023.
– The De-Consolidating Company agreed to waive all the 19-day storage charges accrued on the cargo.
– That the Groupage Company should adjust their nomenclatures in line with the NSC’s approval.
– That the De-Consolidating Company should with immediate effect update their registration with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council as a regulated Service Provider.
Orume, however commended the parties for their understanding. ”Going forward, we want the relationship between Service Providers and Consumers of the services to remain cordial.”
The Polytechnic however thanked the Nigerian Shippers’ Council for amicably resolving the Complaint, stating that ”if not because of the NSC’s intervention, we would have been left with no option than to permanently abandon the training cargo due to the exorbitant charges.”
Fortune Global Logistics was equally grateful for the intervention and requested the NSC to educate consignees on the legitimacy of Local Shipping Charges, which most of them are not familiar with.
