VLCC, container vessels spend 5 hours to process manifests in Nigerian ports – NIMASA
Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCC), larger container vessels and others now spend 5 hours against 72 hours to process the submission of their manifests at Nigerian ports as the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) commenced a total digital manifest management regime for all vessels calling at Nigerian ports.
NIMASA noted that the physical transactions concerning sailing certificates and cargo manifest processing are being phased out completely with the automation.
The Director-General of NIMASA Dr. Bashir Jamoh said the automation is aimed at further reducing human interaction, improving efficiency and blocking revenue leakages. He however encouraged stakeholders to embrace the initiative by visiting the NIMASA portal.
According to him, “In line with the Federal Government’s Executive Order on Ease of Doing Business, we are committed to improving turnaround time of vessels, reduction of human interface in a majority of our transactions with our stakeholders and this is in our bid to ensure transparency and professionalism that the sector requires to grow.”
“We have improved our operational relationship with our sister agencies. As we speak, we have made tremendous progress in our determination to convey sailing clearance for vessels to the NPA electronically. We also receive and process manifests electronically. This has improved efficiency leading to improvement in the turn-around-time of vessels calling at the nation’s ports.
“Right now we have ensured that the process of submitting and processing manifests is reduced from 72Hours to 5hours for VLCCs (Very Large Crude Carriers) and larger container vessels whereas it would only take two hours or less for smaller vessels), you would agree with me that these are marked improvement and it is still work in progress.”
The NIMASA DG noted that the benefits that would be derived from the total digitalization of all the agency’s processes expected to be completed by 2022 would be enormous not just for the stakeholders, but for the country at large including helping to improve the balance of trade, and improved commercial shipping activities in Nigeria.
