The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has urged shipping companies to appoint desk officers to enable better interaction between it and the operators in the maritime industry.
The NSC’s Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Emmanuel Jime, was quoted as giving the charge in a statement issued on Friday by the Head, Public Relations of the Council, Rakiya Dhikru-Yagboyaju, when the agency’s management paid a courtesy visit to CMA CGM Nigeria Shipping Limited in Lagos.
According to him, the desk officers would share with NSC challenges facing the shipping lines in their operations with a view to collectively addressing those problems through dialogue
He pointed out that with the NSC serving as the nation’s port economic regulator, it desires seamless operations for service providers and their customers.
While commending the CMA CGM management for embracing digitisation in the company’s operations, the Executive Secretary said that the NSC was delighted with the quality of equipment currently in use in the company’s base.
Jime explained that the NSC was promoting Vehicle Transit Areas (VTAs) and Inland Dry Ports (IDPs) to aid the development of transport infrastructure in the country.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of CMA CGM, Mr Lionel Odeyer, thanked the NSC’s management for the visit.
On the major constraints to shipping lines smooth operations, Odeyer listed the deplorable access roads to the ports, congestion and delay experienced in returning empty containers among the challenges requiring urgent government’s intervention.
He noted the completion of the Lekki Deep Seaport would aid the shipping business in the country
