Shippers’ council revisits haulage rates amid stakeholder concerns

In response to disruptions sparked by recent haulage rate announcements for Eastern Ports, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has agreed to schedule a stakeholder meeting to renegotiate the rates.

This, according to NSC will serve as a platform where robust consultation and decisive action would be taken to ease the stress of port users.

Emerging from a key stakeholders meeting held in Port Harcourt, representatives from various sectors, including shippers, truck owners, freight forwarders, maritime workers Union, and other associations, urged the NSC to show more commitment in ensuring inclusive deliberations and potential adjustments to the rates.

Stakeholders also advised the NSC to establish a fair and sustainable rate structure that supports the interests of all stakeholders while positively contributing to the nation’s economy.

The stakeholders also, highlighting recent developments such as improvements in port access roads, exchange rate fluctuations, and diesel price adjustments, called for collaboration between parties to agree on the review of the new haulage rates.

Director of the NSC’s South-South Zone, Glory Onojedo, in an interview with pressmen on the sideline of the event emphasised on the necessity of the stakeholders meeting to address the agitation among stakeholders regarding haulage rates. 

He said: “The NSC as port economic regulator moderates cost in the ports and in the ports they are several types of cost including the haulage business so there has been agitation by the haulage drivers and truck owners for a review from eastern ports to various destinations in Nigeria.

“What we did here today in essence is we invited all the stakeholders and there was a review of the haulage rate from onne port to different parts of the country.”