Shippers’ Council: We saved over $6m using port process manual in almost a year

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council says the use of the Nigerian Port Process Manual (NPPM) saved the country’s economy average vessel demurrage of $20,000 per day between 2020 and 2021.

NPPM, launched last year, is a step-by-step trajectory of processes at the ports. It outlines actors and timelines for processes and guides users on documentation, payments, and the responsibilities of agencies.

Translating to $6.5 million (N3.27 billion), the council said it has also curtailed corrupt practices and congestion in the ports.

NSC said this in a report on Friday at a roundtable meeting on the implementation of the NPPM.

Presenting the report, Moses Fadipe, national coordinator, port standing task team (PSTT), said the launch of the NPPM had initiated a reduction in the number of violations from 121 in the year 2020 to 12 in 2021. 

Fadipe said the NPPM recorded a reduction in an average time of resolving complaints bothering on vessel infractions from 7 to 10 days to 1to 4 hours. 

“These incremental changes, if sustained, will contribute towards improving Nigeria’s position on the Ease of Doing Business rankings as well as Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) which will ultimately drive investment and development in the country’s maritime sector,” he said. 

Emmanuel Jime, executive secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council, said transactions at Nigerian Ports had become more transparent, predictable, and logical in line with best practices. 

“More than 85 percent of vessels that called at Nigerian ports and terminals left without incident in 2021,” Jime said. 

He added that in the course of carrying out its activities, PSTT had averted unlawful demands by officials of manning agencies, culminating in $50,650 and this could have been diverted into private pockets. 

“The task team ensured that where infractions occurred, same were legitimately booked by relevant agencies of government involved in boarding exercise,” he noted.

Meanwhile, Ajani Magdalene, permanent secretary, federal ministry of transportation, urged all agencies working at the port to ensure transparency and desist from corrupt practices.