Months after the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria requested that terminal charges be reviewed upwards, Ports & Terminal Multipurpose Limited has announced a 36 per cent increase in tariff on imported vehicles with effect from July 1.

In a public notice sighted by our correspondent on Tuesday, signed by the management of PTML, the terminal said the current economic conditions of surging inflation, currency devaluation and subsidy removal had increased its operational costs.

The terminal in the notice said it had received the approvals of relevant authorities for the tariff hike.

The notice read in part, “PTML would like to bring to the attention of its esteemed customers that the current economic conditions of surging inflation, coupled with the devaluation of currency and removal of fuel subsidy have caused the operational costs to increase multi-fold.

“Hence, having received the endorsement of the relevant authorities, it has become imperative to restructure our terminal tariffs from the 1st of July 2023. PTML is confident that its esteemed customers will understand the rationale behind this review that will cost assist us in ensuring our superior level of service while keeping the competitiveness of its rates.”

Our correspondent gathered that tariff on SUVs was formerly N113,000 but it has been raised to N139,420 while the tariff on SUVs that are not working has been reviewed upward to N153,395.

Terminal tariff on a saloon car which was N92,000 was hiked to N112,115 while saloon cars not working have been adjusted up to N121,575.

Recall that a few months ago, MWUN in a statement, said it was supporting a hike in terminal operators tariff so that the terminals can fulfill their commitments to the dockworkers, who are members of the union.

Reacting to this development, Acting National President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, Kayode Farinto said, the agents would have to educate the importers on how to adjust to the new tariff.

“The reality on the ground is what we have all seen, subsidy removal with the exchange rate (adjustment), everything is changing. We just have to see how we can educate our importers on this.

“There is no possibility of withdrawing services. The reality on the ground is that the government has removed subsidy. Fuel is now N500 per litre; the dollar is not stable. There is no more official rate. And we can just be naïve as if we don’t know what is on the ground.”

Punch