MWUN raises alarm over illegal berthing, discharge
The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has raised alarm over the illegal midstream cargo discharge and unauthorised berthing of vessels on-going on Nigerian waters while calling on the Ministry of Transportation, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to rise up to the challenge.
MWUN immediate past President-General, Comrade Tony Nted, noted that with the concerned vessels’ cargoes being discharged by their crew members, the nation risks more danger of insecurity, while also losing revenue.
Consequently, MWUN has threatened to shut ports and jetties that rob members of jobs and earnings while fingering the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics (LADOL) Base and Bonny Channel in Rivers State allegedly the major offenders.
Alleging that when ‘Industrial Chef’ recently called at LADOL, its cargoes were discharged by its mainly foreign crew, Nted noted that “it is statutory that nobody than registered dockworkers are allowed to work inside the port terminals, jetties and even at the bonded terminals.”
“The law of this country is clear on who should discharge a vessel when it’s berthed at the ports. That job is carried out by only registered dockworkers.
“It’s an Act of Parliament. It is statutory. It is the law of the Federal Government that said nobody other than a registered dockworker is allowed to work inside the port terminals, jetties and even in the bonded terminals.
“But today, many of the operators are violating these laws. How can LADOL allow a vessel berthed in its base to be discharged by the crew member of the vessel? Aside the fact that it deprives Nigerians of jobs, it also constitutes security concern because the crews of the vessels are foreigners who would not raise any alarm if they spot any dangerous cargo on board the vessel during discharging.
“Dockworkers are Nigerians and owe the country a duty to raise alarm if what they are offloading contains dangerous cargoes, but the crew members of the Industrial chef are not Nigerians, who knows what were discharged?
“After we protested, LADOL agreed to pay our dockworkers their rightful due but the deed has been done; the vessel has been discharged,” he added.
More so, he alleged that another vessel, MV Hawk, anchored along the Bonny waters, and the shipping agent “wants to use the crew men to submerge the contents on barges. We are watching events unfold and will shut the port if that vessel is discharged.”
