NPA concludes automation interconnectivity with Customs to ease cargo clearances

…Expresses readiness to meet 2025 IMO targets on port community system

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Nigerian Ports Authority(NPA) said it has concluded the interconnectivity of its operations to the Nigeria Customs Service to create seamless cargo clearance processes and procedures.

The Managing Director of NPA, Mr. Mohammed Bello-Koko, while speaking at the third JournalNG Port Industry’s Town Hall Meeting held in Lagos on Thursday made the disclosure.

The NPA boss who was represented by the Apapa Port Manager, Mr Charles Okagha further stated that it has commenced moves to meet the 2025 target of the International Maritime Organization(IMO) to create an effective and efficient port community system in Nigeria.

Besides Customs he said, the agency has also connected its operations to shopping companies, terminal operators and the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

Shading light on the theme of the event, ‘Essence of Automation to Productive Blue Economy’, Bello-Koko explained that automation will not only bring about efficiency, it will also lead to increased revenue and profitability.

According to him, NPA will meet the 2025 target of the IMO going by the speed at which it is automating.

He stated: “We have developed a lot of automation-based processes. In time past, before the introduction of e-sen, (Electronic Ship Entry Notice), it takes about two weeks from the time of application to the time of approval and issuance of the ship entry notice certification. However, since the introduction of electronic processing of ship entry notice, it takes about one hour for a function that used to take up to one or two weeks, depending on the idiosyncrasies of the man on the table and all the table the documents need to pass through.

“When you look at the cost benefit of carrying out a function of two weeks in one hour, you will see that that is quite massive. We also have the Electronic Ship Manifest where rather than submit ship manifest to us in hard copy, manifests are submitted in electronic format.

“The Customs automation has so improved that we have recorded some reasonable turn around in productivity. The berthing meeting that used to be a physical meeting only meets two times a week and other days, berthing meeting are done virtually.

“These are some of the initiatives that port automation has introduced into port E-Manifest. With these initiatives, NPA will definitely meet the IMO 2025 target of creating a Port Community System, PCS.”