Lagos ports, oil terminals to handle 152 ships this week
Lagos ports and its oil terminals are scheduled to handle a total of 152 ships this week. According to the shipping position, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos at the weekend while 76 of the ships were waiting to discharge container-laden goods and petroleum products, 76 others were expected to sail in during the week. Fifty of the waiting ships are oil tankers, while the remaining 26 are laden with containers and other consumer goods, it said.
Most of the containers, according to the shipping position, are designated to go to APM Terminal and Tin-Can Island Container Terminal; the used vehicles are designated for 5-Star Logistics Ltd while cement would go to ENL Consortium.The oil tankers are, however, expected to discharge at the Nido Gas Basin, Atlas Cove Jetty, New Oil Jetty, Ibafon, Single Bouy Mooring and Petroleum Wharf , Apapa.
However, the ports had been experiencing both ship and cargo congestion since August 2008. Presently, more than 10,000 containers including overtime cargoes are block-stacked in the ports.
The task force set up by the Federal Government to decongest the ports within 60 days are working to decongest the ports, but the importers and their agents are not forthcoming to clear the goods. Some of the grievances of the importers and their agents include the outrageous charges by the terminal operators and the shipping companies.
In addition, the strike by the licensed customs agents which led to the shut down of the Lagos ports for the three days the strike lasted, has delayed the work of the task force.
The strike was to protest high port charges and the indiscriminate deduction of container deposits among others.
Most of the containers, according to the shipping position, are designated to go to APM Terminal and Tin-Can Island Container Terminal; the used vehicles are designated for 5-Star Logistics Ltd while cement would go to ENL Consortium.The oil tankers are, however, expected to discharge at the Nido Gas Basin, Atlas Cove Jetty, New Oil Jetty, Ibafon, Single Bouy Mooring and Petroleum Wharf , Apapa.
However, the ports had been experiencing both ship and cargo congestion since August 2008. Presently, more than 10,000 containers including overtime cargoes are block-stacked in the ports.
The task force set up by the Federal Government to decongest the ports within 60 days are working to decongest the ports, but the importers and their agents are not forthcoming to clear the goods. Some of the grievances of the importers and their agents include the outrageous charges by the terminal operators and the shipping companies.
In addition, the strike by the licensed customs agents which led to the shut down of the Lagos ports for the three days the strike lasted, has delayed the work of the task force.
The strike was to protest high port charges and the indiscriminate deduction of container deposits among others.