Shippers’ Council to begin implementation of Cargo Tracking Note in November

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) says it has perfected plans to commence the implementation of the International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN), otherwise known as the Advanced Cargo Declaration (ACD), on all Nigerian ports that are open to international traffic, following Federal Government authorisation.

The implementation, which is due to take effect from November 3, will, according to the Shippers’ Council, help the council, which is the interim regulator for the port to regulate and facilitate international trade as well as ensuring the safety and security of cargo, ships and port installations.

According to a notice with the number No: NSC/LN-CTN/2015/001 signed by the management of NSC and sent to all carriers, ship owners, charterers, shipping lines and agencies, and consignees, and seen by BusinessDay: “All vessels loading and unloading or in transit (export/import and transit) departing from or having Nigerian ports as final destination or transiting through shall, before any movement, obtain a Movement Reference Number (MRN) from the Council, irrespective of the origin of the vessel or cargoes.”

Continuing, the notice notes: “All cargoes destined for or departing from Nigerian ports (import/export/transit) shall obtain from NSC an Entry Summary Number (ENS) in case of import to Nigeria or an Exit Summary Number (EXS) in case of Export departing from Nigeria. The ENS or EXS must show on the Bill of Lading and final manifest of the vessel.”

Also, in the case of a chartered vessel, the ACD shall be completed by the charterer who issues the bill of lading and not by the vessel owner. The ACD procedures are an integral part of formalities required by the authorities of the Nigerian government with respect to processing of cargoes. Consequently, each bill of lading shall correspond to a number, either ENS/EXS.

The notice further discloses that Transport and Port Management System (TPMS) Nigeria Limited has been appointed as the sole representative of the Council in the implementation of ICTN scheme. “The company is authorised to proceed with the validation of cargo declarations in advance and the allocation of ENS, EXS and MRN, on behalf of the Council.”

The management of NSC further warned that non-compliance with the requirements of the ACD subjects the offender to a penalty prescribed by the Council.

The planned reintroduction of CTN has been largely condemned by stakeholders including the shipping companies operating under the aegis of Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN), which insisted that CTN would impose an additional cost on the already high of cost of doing business on importers and exporters.

Val Usifoh, chairman of SAN, who disclosed this, called on Shippers’ Council to reconsider reintroduce of CTN, which was abolished by the Federal Government in 2011 due the controversies surrounding the cost implication of CTN.