INTRODUCTION
In furtherance of the efforts to enhance the efficiency of
the maritime sector and port operations in Nigeria, the Federal
Government introduced a port reform package in 1996. in response to
this initiative, the management of Nigerian Ports Authority took
immediate steps to streamline and simplify its operational procedures.
Vital NPA operations, including the billing system were
computerized; while documentation and delivery processes were unified and streamlined. These have positively changed the procedures
for the shipping and clearing of goods. Deliberate policies have
also been put in place to create a better operating environment for all
customers and port operators. A shipping company intending to bring cargo into a Nigerian
sea port
has to clear the ship by obtaining Ship Entry Notice (SEN)
two months in advance from the Operations Department of Nigerian
Ports Authority. The customer, in the alternative, could obtain
clearance
through a registered and licenced agent based in Nigeria.
This is without prejudice to all other regulations guiding the
operations of other relevant government agencies and international laws
regulating
maritime operations. The procurement of a Ship Entry Notice is a guarantee that a
vessel
would have berthing facility on arrival in Nigeria. This is
essence means that the ship does not come to queue and thus incur demurrage.
IMPORT PROCEDURE
TYPE OF CARGO AND
REQUIREMENTS
There are two categories of goods for the purposes of this
guideline:
(a) Merchandise and Raw Materials
(b) Personal Effects.
It is no longer mandatory that the consignee engages the
services of a registered Freight Forwarders/Clearing and Forwarding
Agent in respect of merchandise and raw materials. In such cases, the consignee may opt for self clearance as is the case with
personal effects, where the owners may clear the cargo when familiar
with the clearing procedure.
BILL OF LADING
The consignor/shipper sends the Bill of Lading in advance of
the arrival of the ship to the consignee/importer. This document
contains the following vital information:
(a) The name of the ship carrying the goods
(b) The description of the goods along with their marks and numbers.
(c) The date of departure from port of loading
(d) The weight of cargo
(e) The terms of contract of affreightment.
PROCEDURE: IMPORT
The importer/consignee takes the Bill of Lading to the NPA
Central Office for Planning and Information (C.O.P.I) of the
appropriate port for details about the arrival date of the ship and her
allocated berth.
This information can also be obtained from the shipping
company. The importer or his agent completes the Bill of Entry
and registers it with the Nigerian Customs Service. The consignee or importer proceeds to the shipping company to effect Shipping Company Release of the goods. There, the Bill of Lading is cross-checked and compared with the ship manifest. After certifying the correctness
of consignee documents, a blank form called Delivery Order (D.O.) supplied to the Shipping Company by the Nigerian Ports Authority, is then issued to the importer. The consignee or his agent completes the Delivery Order and returns same and the Bill of Lading to the shipping company.
The Shipping Company then scrutinizes the details on the Delivery Order, endorses it and withdraws the original of
the Bill of Lading from the consignee or his agent. Thereafter, the lower portion of the Delivery Order is detached and handed back to the importer who holds it as evidence of shipping company release. The main body of the Delivery Order is sent to the
Terminal
Operator at the specific Port. The Terminal Operator then raises all necessary bills
trough a computerized system, after which customer proceeds to bank for payment. On receipt of bank confirmation, Terminal Delivery Order is raised and the necessary delivery sets are produced using information contained in the Delivery Order. The documents are subsequently transferred to the
transit shed or delivery point. The consignee or his agents then proceeds to the appropriate shed or delivery point to effect delivery. After loading, cargo pass is issued to the consignee or his agent who then proceeds to NPA gate for security checks and final exit.
EXPORT PROCEDURE
Following the liberation policy of the Federal Government,
the Produce Boards were scrapped and most Nigerian non-oil
exports are uncontrolled. By this, such goods as cocoa, rubber,
cotton, palm oil, palm kernel, groundnut etc. hitherto regarded as
controlled and exported through the scrapped Produce Marketing Boards can
now be exported by companies which have such goods for exports.
However, a few exportable items are controlled and
monitored.
These include, among others:
- Crude oil
- Works of art and artifacts
- Endangered species (flora and founa), i.e., animals and plants.
Controlled export gods are those on which there are
restrictions, while uncontrolled export goods are those on which
Government has not placed any form of restriction. A prospective exporter
needs to be conversant with the foreign exchange and banking regulations
of the country to which the goods are to be shipped. In Nigeria,
the exporter needs to be conversant with Central Bank guidelines pertaining to export proceeds. Among other things, exporters
are expected to open domiciliary account with any bank in
Nigeria and ensure that the export proceeds are paid into the account.
Preshipment inspection of the all goods including oil and
non-oil goods exported from Nigeria is also mandatory. Government agencies relevant to export operations in Nigeria
among others include:
(a) Corporate Affairs Commission
(b) Nigerian Export Promotion Council
(c) Nigeria National Petroleum Council (NNPC)
(d) Nigerian Export Supervision Scheme
PROCEDURE: EXPORT
Armed with the above information, an exporter goes to
the port of loading to obtain and complete the Shipping Note along with the Customs Bill of Entry. The Shipping Note calls for the following information among others:
(a) The name of the exporter
(b) The name of the ship to load the goods
(c) The description, quantity as well as the
weight/measurement of the goods to be loaded, etc.
The essence of completing the Bill of Entry, which is
obtainable at the customs office is to enable the Nigerian Customs Service examine/release the goods. It serves as an authority to
process and ship consignment. Preshipment inspection by the appropriate designated authorities is mandatory. Goods to be exported may be stored within the port pending shipment or brought direct for shipment. when the goods arrive at the port by rail, road or water conveyance, the way bills forwarding the goods are received and used for the following purposes:
(a) To cross-check the quantity
(b) To prepare the Shipping Note
(c) To prepare the Export Tally Sheet
(d) To prepare Debit Note
The goods are examined by customs to ascertain the accuracy
of the information supplied by the exporters in the Bill of Entry
and Shipping Note. If customs service is satisfied, it endorses and
stamps the
Shipping Note which is immediately dispatched to the Export
Office. The Nigerian Ports Authority raises necessary debit note reflecting all charges and dues which the exporter or his agent pays to designated bank. All payments are confirmed and covered by NPA receipts. Export Tally Sheets are
prepared and despatched to the area where the nominated ship is berthed. In the process of loading, the following parties have their representatives who jointly tally
(record) the goods as they are loaded into the ship:
(a) Nigerian Ports Authority
(b) Shipping Company
At the completion of each set of tally sheet, the shipping
company endorses NPA Export Tally Sheet to confirm receipt of cargo. At the end of the loading exercise, the exporter/agent received his copy of the Bill of Lading from the shipping/agent while the consignee at the port of destination is sent his own copy (usually the original). The Bill of
Lading as a document of title performs three main functions amongst Others:
(a) It is an acknowledgement of receipt of cargo into the ship
(b) It is a document of title to the goods to whoever holds
the original copy
(c) It serves as an evidence of the contract of
affreightment between the shipping company and the exporter.
FACILITIES FOR
EXPORTS
The Nigerian Ports Authority provides standard warehouses
for storage of export goods in transit. Warehouses and open
storage areas are available in the ports for lease for the storage
of export goods in transit. The importance of these facilities is that
they help to speed up operations is loading and thus eliminate delays and consequent payment of demurrage. Dock labour and plants are available to work in specified areas on request. Exporters
are therefore advised to take advantage of these services.
The Nigerian Ports Authority also raises charges for the
different facilities and special services it provides. The services
may include requests for off loading of cargo, rebagging, sorting and
palletisation of the export items.
