ARBITRARY CHARGES : Shippers Council Orders Shipping Coy To Delist Emission Surcharge

By Roland Ekama

 

The Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC) said it has intervened and amicably resolved a complaint of arbitrary charges on a groupage cargo against ECU World wide :FMA Line Nigeria Limited .

In an online letter of complaint to the council , Centti Global Empire Limited stated that FMA -line issued an invoice of 3,115,476.33on their less container load (LCL) aluminum frames of 9.23wm weighing 1,303,.86 kg with container No:TRHU479654-9

According to the Council ‘s in house journal “Complaints Newsletter ” published recently, the meeting convened to resolve the matter was chaired by the complaint unit , Mr Bashir Ambi and had an attendance, the General manager, Centti Global Empire Limited , Mr I.O Franklin; while FMA -line was represented by the operation Manager (Nigeria), Mr Alfred Akinde .

Akinde in is response to the complaint at the meeting, started that the complaint should contact his overseas shipper for review of the charge as it emanated from origin and not destination.

The meeting out-rightly objected to the view and ask the representative of the Market Analysis &Tariff Administration of Regulatory services department, Mr lbrahim Karmash , to confirm if FMA -lines forwarded the nomenclature on their approval, which he responded “No”.

Due to the Inability if the representative of FMA -lines to take a decision , he requested permission to engage their Management and revert to the council. Consequent upon his request, the meeting was adjourned.

At the resumed meeting, the council reviewed the submission of parties viz-a-viz the feedback from FMA -lines Management and reached the following resolutions;

The Council terminates item No.6 on the consol invoice of FMA -Line Nigeria Limited tagged ‘Emission Trade System (ETS) Surcharge’.

The economic port regulatory directed the consol to collapse items No 3 and 4, tagged reconsolidation , and handling charges which are considered to be double charges within 30 working days.

The meeting appreciated the consol for granting the complaint 20% waiver of 2, 609,167.45.

The consignee was directed to make payment and immediately take delivery, failure to which storage charges will start counting on the cargo.

Storage charges should stope from the date the complaint was received by the council, till the date complaint is expected to take delivery.

The business relationship between the consignee and FMA -line Nigeria Limited be strengthened .

FMA -LINES Nigeria Limited was advised to immediately register with Nigeria shippers council and forward their Tariff for review and approval.

Parties were grateful for the Council’s intervention and promised to maintain their business relationship.