Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement Division, has recovered $23,000.00 from Cosco Shipping Company as overbilling demurrage charges for Sunflag Steel Limited, in Lagos.
The Deputy Director, Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement Division, Chief Cajetan Agu recently led the team that sealed off the premises of the shipping company in Apapa Lagos, for over three hours.
Cosco Shipping was accused of failing to comply with an earlier reached agreement at a tripartite meeting held at the NSC Headquarters, Apapa, Lagos.
Comet Shipping which is a tenant in the same building with Cosco Shipping Line was affected by the action of the ports regulator, although the Council had nothing against the company.
Following the development, the Group Managing Director of Comet Shipping, Mr P.L.Carrodano had pleaded with Shippers’ Council team and requested for an immediate emergency meeting to resolve the grievances.
As soon as the Shippers’ Council team got to the premises of Cosco Shipping, Agu had told the shipping company staff that the Council was on enforcement mission following the letter received in respect of the unpaid overbilling demurrage to Sunflag Steel Limited by Cosco.
He said that the Council’s Complaints Unit and the Compliance, Monitoring & Enforcement had made efforts to resolve the issue in the past.
Shippers’ Council gave the shipping company (Cosco) a condition that it must write an undertaking “stating the period of refund, and two cheques be raised in favour of the Consignee and NSC pending when the Liner will clarify the differences from their sister company in Ghana”.
Following this, Cosco Shipping agreed to all the terms and conditions and to issue two cheques before the end of the month, explaining that the company’s financial controller who is to sign the cheque travelled with the CEO’.
After signing an undertaken, the premises were however opened for transactions.
The management of Sunflag Steel Limited were very grateful to the Council for getting back their unpaid overbilling demurrage on some containers.
The containers numbers: COSU6108566580 (24X40 FT), COSU6108566581 (13X4 FT) and COSU6108566582 (2X40 FT) were paid for by their customer in Ghana.
The Council also frowned at the non-compliance attitudes of some stakeholders, warning that it will not hesitate to sanction any erring shipping company, terminal operator, agents, consignee, provider of services, haulers forthwith if they fail to conform with its directives on trade facilitation in the country.
Copyright MMS Plus.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from KINGS COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED.
