Shipping Companies Risk Sanction for Over-billing Importers, Exporters

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) weekend sounded a fresh note of warning to shipping companies and some service providers that circumvent the law by either over-billing shippers on demurrage charges or indulging in indiscriminate imposition of illegal charges.

This is just as the ports economic regulator said its field officers monitor such incidences against importers, exporters and will take appropriate action to stop the perpetrators.

Executive Secretary of the NSC, Hassan Bello who was reacting to the recent case of over-billing of a shipper, Sunflag Steel Limited to the tune of $23,000.00 (N8.280 million) on demurrage charges by Cosco Shipping Company said this was not good for trade facilitation.

Bello said that while the Council was always out to create an enduring peace among service providers, it would not tolerate a situation in which shipping companies or terminal operators decide to cunningly defraud shippers through some forms of over-billing.

He noted that this was not good for the national economy, adding that service providers should abide by the rules guiding trade.

Bello described over-billing as a serious trade crime that should not be encouraged in the interest of the national economy and individual companies affected.

The NSC boss said that the council with what happened in the case of Sunflag Steel Limited, will not spare any company found to be involved in such unlawful act.

The Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement Division of the NCS had recovered the sum of $23,000.00 from Cosco Shipping Company as overbilling demurrage charges for Sunflag Steel Limited.