How Port Task Team intervention saved vessel masters N3.2bn demurrage, reduced corrupt practices at Nigerian ports

Interventions by the Port Standing Task Team (PSTT) set up to implement the Nigerian Port Process Manual (NPPM) has saved foreign vessel masters calling at Nigerian ports vessel demurrage of $20,000 per day between March and November 2021, National Coordinator of the task team, Moses Fadipe has said.

The cost, which he said amounted to the sum of N3.2billion within the period, was made possible through a reduction in average time of resolving complaints bordering on vessel infractions with masters of vessels and government officials from 7-10 days to 1-4hours.

Speaking with journalists in Lagos on Tuesday, Fadipe said the task team has also achieved a reduction in the number of infractions from 121 in 2020 to 21 in 2021.

He said the successes so far recorded by the task team have contributed in improving the nation’s position on ease of doing business, eliminating delays and a reduction in corrupt practices among government officials.

“Averagely, before now, specifically in 2020, it takes an average of seven to 10 days to resolve issues with masters of vessels with government officials and for that period, at the berth the ship is staying, the captain pays $20,000 per day. So, a captain may consider parting with some money instead of spending $20, 000 per-day at the berth. But due to our intervention, it now takes an average of 1 to 4 hours to resolve issues which is less than 24 hours.

“From 3rd of March 2021 up till 26th of November 2021, we were able to save vessel masters demurrage of N3.2billion which has never happened in this country.

“Infractions against our people is 161 in 2020 but in 2021, we had only 21.

“The masters now are now bold enough to even challenge the authorities if there are any offences they are accused of, which we are very happy about.

“With this, all masters of vessels all over the world now send Pre-arrival notification to Nigeria, meaning that before they berth in Nigeria, they must have given us a notice of when they would arrive.

“As our government officials start boarding these vessels, they are letting us know in real time what they are requesting for.

“We are also educating our officials that they are not allowed to bring presents from a foreign country back to your country as a government official. Yes, the captain welcomes you with drinks, you can drink anything drinkable onboard the vessel but you are not allowed to bring any gift on board the vessel down the vessel because it is considered illegal.

“For ease of doing business, the foreign environment is very happy. Some countries like India, Argentina, Cameroun wrote recently to the Nigerian government asking them what magic do they perform in that one year to reduce this amount of expenditure on the part of our members?”

Fadipe added that the task team has also reduced the number of government officials boarding vessels at berths adding that vessel waiting time has equally reduced drastically.

“It is no longer business as usual on board vessels. Situations where you see government agencies boarding vessels indiscriminately is a thing of the past in Apapa and Tin Can. When a vessel berths, we have also told the agencies that will board the vessels that their time is 45 minutes. If for any reason, they spend beyond 45 minutes, they must give reasons writing officially why they spent extra minutes.

“What we are trying to achieve is to control the number of people that board vessels and at exactly one hour, there must be a break bulk on board the vessel,” he said.