SHIPPING POSITION DAILY, FEBRUARY 17, 2020 PAGE 1&2
Apparently determined to address the age long feud over return of container deposits to importers by shipping lines, the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) is considering engaging insurance firms.
The information gathered by newsmen revealed that the agency will be organizing a forum where all relevant stakeholder will appraise this initiative.
A container deposit is a refundable amount charged by a shipping company payable by a shipper for the use of the container but which acts as a guarantee against damage, theft or detention.
This charge is often imposed because containers are valuable properties cherished by shipping companies. These deposits which are usually un-refunded run into several Millions of Naira yearly.
Meanwhile, maritime industry stakeholders have thrown their weight behind the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) on the proposal to bring in insurance firms to handle issues of container deposits’ refund at the port.
The stakeholders who included a former national president of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) Dr. Eugene Nweke, and the founder of the National Council of Managing Director of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Mr. Lucky Amiwero, made their positions known in a separate chats with Shipping Position Daily in Apapa recently.
Nweke however maintained that the initiative by the NSC will not only contribute to ease of doing business, it will also ensure a healthy and competitive environment.
Meanwhile Mr. Amiwero applauded the Shippers’ Council for the wonderful initiative, even as he charged the council to look at the legal implications of the proposal.