Executive Secretary/CEO, Nigerian Shippers Council, Hassan Bello.

The Nigerian Shippers Council has said it is working with other relevant agencies to ensure that the country’s seaports achieve seven-day cargo dwell time before the end of the year, insisting that the current 21-day dwell time is unacceptable as it falls short of known global standards.

Speaking in an exclusive interview, Executive Secretary/CEO of the council charged with commercial regulation of Nigeria’s seaport industry, Hassan Bello, disclosed that measures were being put in place to change this narrative, which he described both unacceptable and unsustainable.

According to him, the council has over time observed that part of the delays experienced at the nation’s seaports are due to the length of time spent by some designated officers, who board the vessels for necessary checks and documentations, disclosing that this trend was currently being addressed.

Apart from delays associated with the boarding of vessels, he noted that substantial part of the delays in the release of consignments were caused by the perennial road traffic congestion on most of the port approaches, which he also said were being addressed.

It was further gathered that the council is currently working with the Nigeria Customs Service with a view to ensuring that scanners were installed at various seaport locations in the country to eliminate the current practice whereby cargoes are physically as against the globally accepted scanning to enhance speed and efficiency.

He said: “Yes, 21-day dwell time for cargo is unacceptable. We have started changing the narratives. For instance, delays associated with the boarding of vessels could be attributable to that even though substantial part of the long dwell time is due to the traffic situation, also physical examination of cargo, if we had scanners, the truck would drive through the scanners and that would solve a lot of problems.

“Then digitalisation of the cargo clearing process itself will also help. The cargo clearing process should be automated, if we do all these, we would cut the dwell time, we’re aiming to achieve seven-day dwell time before the end of 2021. Seven days is the original average; some are doing four days.

“The Port of Singapore has zero dwell time, we need automation to make us fast and cut delays and check corruption. If we address the distortions from the transport systems; fix our roads and the rails, these would cut the dwell time substantially, so seven days is feasible.

“The Nigeria Customs Service has assured that it would install scanners at the seaports and we have no reason to doubt that and so it would soon be a reality.”

On the Nigeria Ports Process Manual NPPM, Bello disclosed that the council was working with other relevant law enforcement agencies including the Directorate of State Security Service DSS and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission ICPC to ensure that stakeholders adhered strictly to their Standards Operating Procedures SOP.

Business and Transport checks show that the council, which is the lead agency for the enforcement of the manual had following the official launch of the scheme by the Federal Government in conjunction formed the enforcement team, which has been sensitising stakeholders across port locations on the need to adhere to their SOPs.

“We’re working to ensure appreciable compliance because we are backed by enforcement authorities such as the DSS, the ICPC are working with other maritime agencies including the Nigerian Ports Authority.

“The team has been set up and we have been going round the port locations ensuring that people comply with their standard operating procedure”, Bello also said.