Nigeria’s maritime
industry loses more than N15 billion annually to lost cargo claims, maritime
lawyer, Mr Emeka Akabogu, said on Friday.
industry loses more than N15 billion annually to lost cargo claims, maritime
lawyer, Mr Emeka Akabogu, said on Friday.
Akabogu, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
in Lagos, urged shippers to utilise maritime lawyers to assist them in
recovering their lost goods.
in Lagos, urged shippers to utilise maritime lawyers to assist them in
recovering their lost goods.
He pointed out that there was need for importers to seek legal
advice from maritime lawyers in reviewing their contracts in order to protect
them as well as their cargoes.
advice from maritime lawyers in reviewing their contracts in order to protect
them as well as their cargoes.
“Maritime lawyers can also assist shippers to claim their goods
many years after they have been lost, provided proper documentation was made
available by the shippers,” he said.
many years after they have been lost, provided proper documentation was made
available by the shippers,” he said.
“Many stakeholders do not explore the judicial process for their
claims because of cost and time and so they rather forgo their claims
altogether.”
claims because of cost and time and so they rather forgo their claims
altogether.”
Akabogu said that no claim was too small, adding that some
shippers considered that some claims were not big enough for the efforts.
shippers considered that some claims were not big enough for the efforts.
The lawyer explained that the procedure for small claims under
the rules of maritime arbitrator allowed many claims to be consolidated under
one claim.
the rules of maritime arbitrator allowed many claims to be consolidated under
one claim.
He urged shippers to follow due process to ensure speedy
processing of the claim by the lawyers.
processing of the claim by the lawyers.
The Punch
