Category: Transport

ADR Triumph: Shippers’ Council Saves Maritime Stakeholders Over ₦90bn in Demurrage and Other Losses —Akutah

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Driving trade efficiency through its regulatory mandate, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has blocked over ₦86.06 billion in unjustified demurrage charges since November 2023. Through robust Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and strategic market interventions, the Council also secured an additional ₦4.54 billion and $1.348 million in direct savings for local shippers. Revealing these milestones, the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the NSC, Dr. Akutah Pius Ukeyima, Esq, MON, FCILT, presented his administration’s performance scorecard during a media luncheon with maritime journalists in Lagos on Saturday, July 4. He…

Next-Gen Containerships Debut as CMA CGM, OOCL, and ONE Level Up

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Amid a historic expansion of the global container vessel orderbook, a new generation of technology-integrated ships is entering service. Maritime leaders CMA CGM, Ocean Network Express (ONE), and Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) have each achieved significant milestones with their most recent fleet deliveries. Recently, CMA CGM christened its newest vessel, the CMA CGM Notre Dame, in Le Havre, France, after its maiden voyage from Asia. This historic ship is the world’s largest LNG-powered containership and the largest vessel flying the French flag. Measuring 399 meters (1,309 feet) long, the…

CNG Cylinders Safe When Certified, Nigerian Official Says Amid Public Safety Concerns

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By Prosper Okoye Certified Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) cylinders installed in vehicles do not pose an explosion risk when properly manufactured and installed, a senior official of the Presidential Initiative on CNG and EV said Thursday, seeking to reassure Nigerians as the country expands the use of gas-powered transport. Speaking on the sidelines of the 2026 Nigeria Gas Safety Conference in Abuja, the initiative’s Chief Compliance Officer, Engr. Zayyanu Tambari, said fears about CNG cylinders exploding inside vehicle trunks were unfounded, provided the cylinders meet national safety standards.“If a cylinder…

Update: Baggage Returned After 24-Hour Delay as Airline Apologizes, Citing ‘Customer Welfare as Priority’

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LAGOS — Passengers aboard Enugu Air Flight EE4292 can finally breathe a sigh of relief following a grueling 24-hour waiting game. After a stressful weekend of uncertainty, stranded travelers from the Saturday, June 27 Kano-to-Lagos flight were finally reunited with their missing luggage on Monday, June 29.The troubled journey suffered its first major setback when the scheduled 7:10 PM departure was delayed until past 9:00 PM on Saturday, culminating in a massive baggage fallout at the arrival terminal. Enugu Air officially broke its silence during a visit by Sooth News…

Salvors Cut Up Stricken MSC Container Ship Near Canada

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Marine salvors have commenced the deconstruction of an MSC boxship that grounded off eastern Canada in February 2025. Harsh Atlantic weather continues to plague the grueling salvage of the 2,478-teu MSC Baltic III (built 2003) at Cedar Cove, Newfoundland, according to updates on Monday, June 29. “The contractor has now entered the deconstruction phase of the MSC Baltic III wreck removal operation and there is a significant increase in the work and presence on site,” the Canadian Coast Guard said. Crews are constructing a new access road to the beach…

₦12.3B Bust: NDLEA Nabs China-Bound Businesswoman, Seizes 558K Tramadol Pills

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In another major breakthrough, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 38-year-old businesswoman, Iwebema Ogechi Peace, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos. In a Sunday statement, NDLEA’s media chief, Femi Babafemi, revealed that agents intercepted a China-bound traveler before she could board a Qatar Airways flight to Beijing. A search of her luggage uncovered a massive consignment of cocaine hidden inside a professionally built false bottom. Acting on credible intelligence, security agents arrested 38-year-old trader Iwebema Ogechi Peace at the Lagos…

Dr. Ambi Hands Baton To Saka, Urges New Shippers’ Council Complaints Chief To ‘Add Value’

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By: Yahaya Abdullahi Wachiko ​“ This is an iconic exit ,” Colleagues declare as retiring Complaints Chief bows out. ​In a milestone transition at the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), the outgoing Head of the Complaints Unit, Dr. Ambi, has officially handed over the mantle of leadership to his successor, Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Juliana Saka. ​The brief yet emotional handover ceremony took place on Friday, June 26, 2026, marking the end of Dr. Ambi’s meritorious service as he enters retirement. ​ A Legacy of Fiscal Impact ​Reflecting on his tenure, which…

Maritime Boost: Port of Antwerp-Bruges to Revamp Burutu Port as Shippers’ Council Backs Sealink Project

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In a move set to reshape regional trade, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has pledged total regulatory and institutional support to ensure the success of the Sealink Project. Describing the initiative as a game-changer, the NSC highlighted its power to revolutionize Nigeria’s maritime and coastal shipping landscape. At the Council’s Lagos headquarters on Friday, June 26, NSC Chief Akutah Pius Ukeyima, Esq, MON, FCILT, Ph.D finalized the partnership during a high-profile meeting with a NEXIM Bank delegation supported by the European Union and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. Led by Mr.…

NDLEA Seizes China-Dubai Drugs in Ladies’ Bags; Grandparents Arrested for Peddling to Kids, Wanted Couple Cornered

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Age is no barrier to crime. This was starkly proven in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, where operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested Godfrey Orji, 84, and Godwin Obulunbiya Obiora, 75. The grandfathers are now cooling their heels in custody for allegedly running an illicit drug ring targeting teenage secondary school students. According to a Sunday statement by NDLEA Spokesman Femi Babafemi, Pa Obiora was busted on Friday, June 19, following tip-offs that he was retailing narcotics to students from his patent medicine store at 4…

Expert Urges Nigeria to Adopt Open Ship Registry to Expand Fleets, Boost Economy

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To boost revenue and expand Nigeria’s vessel fleet, maritime expert Captain Anthony Onoharigho has called on the Federal Government to adopt an open ship registry. Captain Onoharigho—former Deputy Registrar of the Liberian Maritime Authority—stated that the policy would drive job growth and boost the nation’s international maritime prestige. During a recent media brief in Lagos, he lauded the collaborative talks between NIMASA and the Malta Ship Registry held on the sidelines of Posidonia 2026 in Athens. The meeting centered on strategic partnerships to modernize Nigeria’s ship registry. According to the…