The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has commended the PTML Terminal for its efficient service provision at the nation’s seaport.
The Executive Secretary of the NSC, Mr Hassan Bello, gave the commendation on Wednesday while on a working tour of the terminals in the port.
Bello who led the management team of the Council to a working visit to PTML and Port & Cargo terminals in Lagos said he was impressed by the level of efficiency in ports services made possible by digitisation.
He particularly pointed out that the terminal has recorded the highest percentage in digitalisation in the ports, a development which has impacted positively in ports efficiecny.
“I am really proud of this terminal having had the highest percentage in digitisation. You have always improved on efficiency and the shippers using your facility have confirmed that.
“Many terminals are also emulating you in your digitisation effort. I am seeing your terminal becoming contactless with less people coming here. We are going to use your terminal to showcase what a terminal should be,” Bello said.
The NSC boss during the visit explained that the ports ecoomic regulator was not against increase in port tariff by terminal operators but insists that such practice should follow guidelines for review of tariffs.
His words: “We are never averse to review of tariffs. Things cannot be the same constantly. There are issues of operational costs, which have gone up, inflation, fluctuation in foreign exchange and for terminals they have not reviewed it for almost nine years and much has happened. But all we ask from the terminals and shipping companies is to follow the guidelines for review of these tariffs and we will not withhold it unreasonably.”
The Managing Director of PTML, Ascanio Russo, told the NSC visiting team that the terminal has continued to invest on digitalisation in the past 10 years.
Russo said that the belief of the management of his organisation was to invest in technology and multimodal means of transportation.
He said, “I am excited that the NSC mentioned multimodalism. This is something we strongly believe in and we have been doing multimodalism for almost ten years through our barges and offdock terminal in Mile 2. So I am happy that Shippers Council is pushing this on the table.
“We have been investing in a lot in technology for over ten years and expanding, so we really support the drive from the Council. We have also been helping the industry by loading empties which are not discharge by our shipping line.
“We are already working 24 hours operation. We receive vessels all the time and we are ready to deliver cargo during the night but the challenge is security. We need to address the issue of security and the issue of road congestion.”
The Managing Director of Ports & Cargo Handling Services Limited, Mr. John Jenkins, told the NSC team that the poor infrastructure such as bad ports access roads was creating a lot of congestion inside the terminals.
He pointed out the need to increase terminal handling charges in view of rising cost of operations in the ports.
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