Clearing agents operating at the nation’s ports under the aegis of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents have disagreed with shipping companies over the payment and refund of container deposits at the ports.
The agents alleged that operators were losing at least N40m daily in unrefunded container deposits to shipping companies.
The container deposit is a refundable fee shipping companies collect from consignees to ensure empty containers are returned safely.
The fee is meant to be refunded to the consignee as soon as the empty containers are returned to the shipping company.
The fee ranges from N100,000 for a 20ft container within Lagos and N200, 000 for a 40ft container. For containers going outside Lagos State, N200,000 is charged for a 20ft unit, while N400,000 is charged for a 40ft unit.
In a telephone interview with our correspondent in Lagos on Wednesday, clearing agents claimed they were paying for the inefficiency of shipping companies.
According to them, over 200 containers are released daily by shipping companies to consignees.
The Chairman, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, Tin-Can Island chapter, Muhammed Mojeed, accused some shipping companies of not refunding the container deposit fee to consignees, even when the deadlines were met.
He said, “Other shipping companies are complying but MSC is the worst (among those that are not complying); it is the worst. They don’t return container deposit fees; we have been at loggerheads with the company. We have written the company several times on this issue. It is difficult to get container deposit fee from the company.”
However, Mediterranean Shipping Company, denied any wrongdoing.
The Deputy Head, Finance, MSC, Mr Samuel Igwebuike, described the allegation as false, insisting that the company was making container deposit refunds to clearing agents as and when due.
He said, “We return deposits to the agents. However, some of them don’t want the importer to know about it. Even when you inform the agent that the importer has an account with the shipping company, and that we need to make transfer; they often object to it. Our contract is with the importer so whatever refund we are making is to the importer, either by cheque or transfer”
He added, “In some cases, there could be a documentation issue. Some may even be thinking that they have a refund and when you check, you find out that the container was returned it late. These are some of the problems. However, the only thing is that anyone that has issue should approach us and we know how to resolve it.”
