Rivers: Shippers Council Unveils Operational Manual for Inland Dry Ports in Nigeria

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) yesterday officially unveiled an operational manual for Inland Dry Ports in Nigeria held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

The council said inland dry ports brings shipping services closer to the destination of the shippers and consignees across the nation, enjoying railway network as a primary mode for long distance haulage of cargo.

Speaking at a one-day sensitisation programme and launching of the manual, the Chief Executive Officer of NSC, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Jime, explained that the Inland Dry Port projects were conceived as part of the federal government reform programme in the transport sector to promote efficient transportation, efficiency at the nation’s ports and to engender trade facilitation.

Represented by the Director, Inland Transport Services, NSC Lagos, Mr. Philip Eduwa, Jime also explained that the council is the supervising and implementing agency of the dry port projects in Nigeria acting on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

He stated that the projects were developed through partnerships using the Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) model.

According to Jime, “The strategic importance of producing the manual which articulates the step-by-step procedures for receiving, storing, handling and delivery of cargoes as well as highlighting the operations, the responsibilities of agencies and timelines for discharging such tasks is sine- qua non.”

He disclosed that the operational manual which was launched in Kano on July 21, 2022, and Lagos on August 22, 2022, respectively, provides detailed processes and procedures for the main activities of the Inland Dry Ports.

The NSC boss revealed that the “manual is based on international best practices adapted to local Nigerian context, but not fully customised for each port. Indeed, each design dry port will have its own specialties, organisational implementation, lay-out constraints, and services offered, and would therefore amend aspect of the manual in a case-by-case basis.”

Jime added that the launching of the manual created yet another milestone in the successful development and operation of IDP projects in Nigeria, promising that the NSC would work to ensure that the up-coming dry port, particularly Dala, Funtua and Jos IDP, avoids the pit falls that the  country’s seaports are currently experiencing.

In his remarks, representative of the Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Matthew Ayaruja, a maritime professional, said the Inland Dry Port is a feeder to the sea port which will lead to the increase of cargo in the seaport.

Ayaruja said: “For the inland dry port to be more effective and stable, all stakeholders, port operators, shippers, shipping companies, and port users must come together to make dry port a laudable project in Nigeria.

“Also, for the dry port to attend its reality, there must an effective real services with a view to promoting seamless operation from the hitter land down to the dry port and thereafter to the sea port.Today, with the sensitisation of this manual, we believe that all stakeholders, the shipping companies, the Inland Dry Port operators and shippers must make use of this manual and implement the manual so that the objective of the Inland Dry Port is realised.”