By Temitope Adebayo
In a bid to facilitate the operational processes within the port ecosystem, the
Nigerian Ports Authority, (NPA) has suspended the processing of trucks into the terminals by virtual parks.
The management of NPA through its partner Truck Transit Parks (TTP), revealed this in a notice issued to stakeholders recently, that all virtual parks on the Eto platform are halted immediately and shall remain so until further notice.
The truck call-up system, dubbed “Eto” (which means “to schedule” in Yoruba language) is the authorized pathway for cargo trucks to access the port, including transfer of empty containers by shipping companies.
In the notice, TTP said that all coming into the ports must have been processed via the Eto platform and through a physical truck and pre-gate or an export processing terminal.
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Part of the notice reads: “As part of the ongoing efforts to streamline and optimize the operational processes within the port ecosystem, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has directed that processing of trucks through virtual parks should be suspended.
“Therefore, the operation of all virtual parks on the Eto platform is halted effective immediately and shall remain so until further notice.
“All trucks arriving at the ports shall have emanated from an NPA-approved physical truck park, pre-gate or export processing terminal without exception.
“Kindly note that all categories including Reefers containers & Fish trucks will continue to have unhindered access to the port BUT will go through an approved park before coming to the ports.
“We are cognizant that this directive might warrant adjustments in your operations. Your cooperation and understanding during this period of evaluation and adjustment are greatly appreciated, as we collectively work towards improving and enhancing the efficiency of our port operations.”
Reacting to the development, the Secretary General of the Association of Maritime Transport Owners, AMATO, Mr. Bala Sani Mohammed said that the virtual park was created for diplomatic and export cargoes to create a window to process the evacuation of these categories of cargoes.
Sani Mohammed however said that the virtual truck parks have been abused and used to move trucks into the ports fraudulently.
He said: “The virtual truck parks were created to take care of perishable export cargoes so that they can get to ports as soon they are processed via the virtual truck parks but the entire process has been abused.”
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