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The Council has initiated two key projects for providing critical support to shippers. These are:
The Cargo Defence Fund
The Honourable Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Transport, launched the Cargo Defence Fund scheme on The 30th of May 2001. The purpose of this scheme is to provide legal aid to shippers in pursuit of their legitimate maritime claims, especially in litigation and also to provide arbitration services for shippers. The Fund is limited by guarantee and is open to subscription by shippers. Although Nigerian Shippers’ Council currently solely funds it, an independent Board of Trustees made up of eminent private sector practitioners oversees the Fund.
The Fund provides other services amongst which are:
- Legal/Technical advice
- Loan to pursue litigation or Arbitration
- Payment for Risk Management Services
- Foreign Legal Representation
- Cover for Specified Risks as agreed
- Quality Information Services
- General risk management advice
- To convene Alternative Dispute Resolution forum.
For more information on the Fund, visit the website: www.cargodefencefund.org
Inland Container Depots and Freight Stations
The Council initiated and, upon the approval of the Federal Ministry of Transport, financed a Feasibility Study for the establishment of Inland Container Depots/Freight Stations in Aba (Isiala Ngwa), Bauchi, Ibadan, Jos, Kano, Katsina, Gombe and Maiduguri. A foreign consultant – Hamburg Port Consulting (HPC), Germany, handled the study.
The following factors led to above decision:
- The fact that Nigeria is a coastal country with large hinterland
- Seaport problems such as congestion, cargo clearance delays, high demurrage, sharp practices resulting in shipping business costing more
- Near obsolescence of cargo transport by rail
- Unreliability of road haulage
The ICDs are expected to achieve the following amongst others:
- Bring shipping services to the door step of shippers across the nation
- Assist in decongesting the seaports and make them more user-friendly
- Help revive and modernise the railway as a primary mode for the long distance haulage of cargo
- Assist in the reduction of overall cost of cargo
- Transit cargo to Landlocked neighbouring countries
Based on the report of the study, the Federal Government has embarked on the implementation of these ICDs in a phased manner with the Federal Ministry of Transport supervising. An ICD Implementation Committee has been established with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council as the implementing agency. The project is being executed on the BOOT (Build, Own, Operate and Transfer) Model.
The 1st phase has been completed and preferred concessionaires secured for Bauchi, Ibadan, Jos, Isiala Ngwa and Maiduguri respectively. The list of successful preferred concessionaires are as follows:
| Name | Location |
| 1. Dala Inland Dry Port Ltd |
Kano |
| 2. Messrs Catamaran Logistics Ltd.
| Ibadan |
| 3. Migfo Nig. Ltd.
| Maiduguri |
4. Eastgate Inland Container Terminal
Ltd.
| Isiala Ngwa |
| 5. Duncan Maritime Ventures Ltd.
| Jos |
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