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Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) - Car Talk - Nairaland

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Has Cargo Tracking Note; Ctn Been Cancelled? / Cargo Tracking Notes In Nigeria ? / Cargo Tracking Notes For Nigeria - New Regulations (2) (3) (4)

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Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by muhbest(m): 6:20pm On Jan 27, 2010
Did anybody knows about the new shipping and clearing cars  policy in Nigeria Cargo Tracking Notes (CTN)
Re: Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by ib612(m): 9:33pm On Jan 27, 2010
It appears 9ja govt want to reap-off everyone now.

From what i learn, they want every single container shipped to 9ja to pay a fee of $450 for this tracking notes.

Another way of causing more injury to the already useless situation at the port. As if they are really going to use the money so gained for any developmental purposes at the ports
!
Re: Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by jenju(m): 9:49pm On Jan 27, 2010
ib612:

It appears 9ja govt want to reap-off everyone now.

From what i learn, they want every single container shipped to 9ja to pay a fee of $450 for this tracking notes.

Another way of causing more injury to the already useless situation at the port. As if they are really going to use the money so gained for any developmental purposes at the ports
!


$425 CTN is also charged for each RORO vehicle as I learnt a few days ago. My shipping agents will not ship any car to Nigeria without collecting the $425 in addition to the shipping cost.
Re: Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by Fhemmmy: 10:09pm On Jan 27, 2010
I think this is really pathetic and this is another way for Nigeria to lose so much money, cos now most people will be shipping their vehicles Via Cotonue, just sad that i have few vehicles that will be landing soon.
How do you go back to the buyer now and ask for extra 500$?
Re: Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by Fhemmmy: 10:59pm On Jan 27, 2010
Does anyone knows the website to get more information on this issue?
My shipping agent send me www.Africanctn.com but it is not returning any reasonable page.
Re: Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by ibidapko(m): 11:56pm On Jan 27, 2010
Nairalanders,

Note the true position.

"Any cargo you’ve had sail after January 10th, 2010 will require a Cargo Tracking Note in order to release the cargo at destination. The NPA has announced that they will NOT impose any fines or penalties until March 1st, 2010.

After such date, any cargo shipped arriving after March 1st, 2010 will be penalized at destination. The NPA has announced that the CTN certificate MUST accompany the bill of lading at destination in order to have the cargo released"

Be informed!

Re: Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by Fhemmmy: 12:00am On Jan 28, 2010
Thanks
Re: Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by german007(m): 12:12am On Jan 28, 2010
If this is true, This is pathetic,

This is part of the reason why a lot of us dealers ship through Cotonue, $450 is about 68k , That will mean 68k in addition to our quotes for cars, And I suppose that now translates to about 1900 dollars to ship a jeep from USA, Where does is end, Where does all the money the Goverment makes go to?,
Re: Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by Fhemmmy: 12:16am On Jan 28, 2010
german007:

If this is true, This is pathetic,

This is part of the reason why a lot of us dealers ship through Cotonue, $450 is about 68k , That will mean 68k in addition to our quotes for cars, And I suppose that now translates to about 1900 dollars to ship a jeep from USA, Where does is end, Where does all the money the Goverment makes go to?,


It is true . . . .
So sad that they still handle most things at our terminals manually.
There are some vehicles that i wont advice anyone to ship via cotonue . . . . .would u ship a 2008 Honda Accord via Cotonue? please tell me, if there is a good way to do it oh, cos i think all these extra cost is saddening
Re: Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by ChiChi77: 12:20am On Jan 28, 2010
na waooo, the more we patch the more it leaks, undecided

Can cars come in from 9ja's other neighbor? Cameroon?
Re: Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by german007(m): 12:34am On Jan 28, 2010
@Chichi77,

Ah Cameroon, I have no clue about that, With all these recent happenings, I wont be shocked if we devise new routes and start shipping cars through Togo, Niger or Cameroon.

As naija man say's, When one door close, Another one go open, cool cool.lol
Re: Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by ib612(m): 12:35am On Jan 28, 2010
Pathetic is an understatement!

There's already increases on vehicle duties and now this.

Look, don't even dream of shipping any car that's worth over a million through any port other than 9ja. I won't do it, anyways
.
Re: Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by ChiChi77: 12:40am On Jan 28, 2010
@ib612, but if one can't afford all that money then what? cos the dealers will add it to the cost of the cars, I plan on purchasing a car this year thru pre order but duties keep on going up.
Re: Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by german007(m): 12:44am On Jan 28, 2010
[b]@ Everyone, cool cool cool
THIS IS VERY LONG BUT TAKE YOUR TIME TO READ ,

How government loses billions to car smuggling 6/10/2008 http://www.thenationonlineng.com/dynamicpage.asp?id=65068


Nigerians import close to a million cars yearly. This ought to translate to a huge revenue for the Federal Government. Unfortunately, most of these cars are imported through the Cotonou and other neigbouring ports and then smuggled into the country. Daniel Essiet reports on why Nigerian car importers patronise the Cotonou port.

Daniel Samuel, 35, has worked five years post graduation in a first-generation bank. He had nurtured one dream from the first day he started work: to own a car of his own.
By January this year, he had saved N900, 000. He knew the amount would be able to buy him a car, but definitely not a new car or even a car within the eight year age limit then stipulated by the Federal Government.

He knows of the Contonou car market. His friend had bought a car a month earlier from that market. So, he headed for the market with his friend, where he paid N700,000 for a Toyota Camry 1993 model and an additional N50,000 to a smuggler, who to brought the car to Nigeria. The price of the car in Nigeria’s second-hand car market ranges between N850,000 and N900,000.

Samuel is happy he has satisfied his dream and saved about N100,000 for patronizing the Contonou port.

Samuel is not alone. Unofficial estimates indicate that out of every five cars brought three are over the age limit and were brought in a similar circumstance.

At least, 4000 cars come into the country through the land routes every month. That would translate to about N1 billion in paid duties. Though the Nigerian Customs Service(NCS) says it has effectively checked the activities of car smugglers. The Customs Area Controller, Seme Command, Mr. Ali Wakili, told The Nation that cars coming through the legal routes far outweigh those that trickle in through the unapproved routes. This, he attributes to the Command’s renewed anti-smuggling efforts. According to him, the command recorded over N90 million as returns for duties on vehicles in August alone.

The Nation’s


checks, however, showed that though the NCS has actually revved up its anti-car smuggling activities, the business is healthy and booming. Informed sources say that the Customs can hardly check up to 20 per cent of car smuggling activities.


Why Contonou port is booming

The survival of the Benin Republic car business depends on the continuing inefficiency of the Nigerian seaports.

While car import is expected to expand in the future, there are concerns that the delays at the ports are enough reasons for people to consider bringing more cars through the land routes. Dealers said more cars are imported legally and illegally through the land borders than through the seaports. Most Nigerians patronise the Cotonou ports because of its efficiency, lower charges and its allowance for all ages of cars.

Though Nigerian ports have greatly improved in operational efficiency because the private terminal operators, high duties and multiplicity of agencies have combined to make Cotonou the port of choice for Nigerian importers. The Marketing Officer, Olamaat Motors, Mr. Bruno Adiele, told The Nation that as long as there was no reduction in the cargo dwell time at the Nigerian seaports, the Cotonou Port still would continue to provide fair deals for millions of Nigerian importers.

In his view, the incentive for agents and the cargo owners to use Contonou port was high. He said that cars from Cotonou were usually cheap and clean, besides the fact that agents after paying duty at the border would still have something to take home at the end of the day.

The Managing Director, Norigam Concepts Limited, Mr. Oliver Adokwu, who imports cars from Cotonou, said that the onus was on the government to issue policies that would encourage Nigerians to use the nation’s seaports to bring in cars. He said that several developments had helped to destroy the solid foundation that was laid for the industry to thrive.

He said: "Until the government agrees to tackle the high cost of clearing goods, nothing substantially would be achieved in the attempt to correct the imbalance in car trade between Nigeria and Benin Republic.

"It costs between N250,000 to 300,000 to clear a car from the Lagos Port, while in Benin Republic one can use about N120,000 to get a car out of Cotonou and then use another N40,000 to smuggle it into Nigeria,"

To him, tariffs on imported cars ought to be reduced if the government wants to counter the dominance of the Cotonou ports.

"Tell me, unless one is an idiot, who would want to patronise Nigerian ports with the astronomical costs incurred there," he asked rhetorically.

For him, most of the policies on the importation of cars are borne out of self-interest.

He wondered why the government was happy that an agent would clear a car for N250,000 and only two cars would pass through the port in a week and N500,000 is realised, while in Cotonou about 1,000 cars leave the port every week.

"Just imagine how much that goes to the coffers of the Beninoise Government? Not less than N120 million per week".

Adokwu advised the government to visit Benin Republic on a study tour to find out why Nigerians patronise Contonou port. To him, one of the important factors is the restriction on the age of cars that can be imported through the Nigerian ports.

"Few Nigerians could honestly afford cars within ten years. It is one issue that has given the nation poor earnings from car imports.

" You can’t get a Honda Accord in call Baby Boy for less than N1.3 million or N1.4 million. How many people can afford it? What is our minimum wage?" he queried.

Adokwu said that it was a matter of choice of waiting to save till one gets close to N2 million that could buy a car within the Nigerian age ceiling or to use the Contonou and other neighbouring ports.

He said that this was a choice many Nigerians had made: smuggle in the cars and damn the consequence. Comparing Nigeria to Germany, which has banned cars of more than two years from being registered, Adokwu posited that the government knew that the average German could afford to buy a new car.

He toldThe Nation that since July 14, 1999, when the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) slammed a 200 per cent increase on all categories of cars coming in through the seaports, the volume of business had dropped drastically.

The car dealer said that port charges, clearing procedures and restrictions prevent more competitively priced vehicles from entering the market.

A number of car dealers are disappointed that despite the hullabaloo over the port reforms, the government has not deemed it fit to deal with the high cost of clearing. The influx of cars from Cotonou and other neighbouring ports has almost crippled the once booming car market in Nigeria. While patronage for new cars is restricted largely to corporate customers, the second-hand market is booming, supplied mainly from Cotonou.

Most of the second-hand car markets, like, the popular Berger car market around Mile Two, are booming with activities. Staggering variants of cars, ranging from the simple to the exotic, recreational vehicles and light commercial vehicles are all available in the market. But most of their stocks are sourced from Contonou and other neighbouring countries.


Why it is

difficult to stop?

Investigations show that it is difficult to be stamped out. Car smuggling cannot be stopped because smugglers have perfected the art of flying in cars. They pay big bribes to customs and police at checkpoints along the Idi-Iroko border in order to get their merchandise into the country. Others brave the bullets, and the swampy forests and thickets dotting the 59 illegal routes along the border. Operators at the ports say that it will be difficult to stamp out smuggling when the cost difference between smuggled cars and those cleared at the Nigerian ports remain high.

"It would take a miracle for the government to eradicate vehicle smuggling. There are several routes utilised by smugglers while bringing cars to receivers in Nigeria. They avoid the main road because of the heavy presence of security operatives-Nigeria police, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Immigration, Joint Border Patrol, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and State Security Service.

The Nigerian government has lost significant revenues because of the situation. The Beninoise government is aware of the enormous income that comes to it from the car import industry and takes well-measured steps to sustain it. Expectedly, the country is exploiting its opportunities to the hilt as reflective in its establishment of a clearinghouse at Igolo where each Nigeria-bound vehicle pays an additional duty equivalent of N12, 000, and sometimes more.

Besides, the Beninoise government tries to make the country’s port attractive to its largest customers - the Nigerian smugglers. There is even a special task force that escorts smuggled vehicles from Cotonou wharf to Igolo-Idi- iroko border for onward movement into Nigeria at a special fee.

Though the Federal Government about a week ago increased the age limit of cars that could be brought into the country from eight to 10, importers believe it will do little to dissuade the smuggling cartel. Cars in excess of 12 years in age will continue to find their ways into the country. The driving force is huge difference in the cost of vehicles imported through the ports and cars smuggled in at the borders.

The Comptroller-General, NCS, Hamman Bello Ahmed, appears to share this view. He identified the high rate of import duty as the cause of smuggling in the country.

In a recent interview, Ahmed stated that a reduction in import duty would bring an end to smuggling and consequently, encourage Nigerians to follow the legal procedure for importation.

Both Customs and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) believe the high tariff regime not only cripples the economy but leads to high cost of goods and services.

Operators in the Nigerian Maritime sector have often expressed worries over the situation where more than 75 per cent of the total imports into the West African Sub-region come into the Nigerian market, but only an insignificant proportion of the same imports come in through any of the country’s eight seaports and approved Borders.

Mohammed appeared to have captured the whole picture when he said, "Those importers that divert their consignments do so to reduce the amount of import duty paid."
[/b]
Re: Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by ChiChi77: 12:52am On Jan 28, 2010
delete
Re: Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by ib612(m): 12:54am On Jan 28, 2010
The deaf can't listen nor eavedrop.

The blinds don't go to a cinema hall to view a film.
Re: Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by ChiChi77: 1:24am On Jan 28, 2010
Where can I get a link to that announcement about the new charges, I need to forward it to some folks just incase.
Re: Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by FARAMADE(m): 5:00pm On Feb 10, 2010
Real URL for the website is

www.africactn.com

I have a bad feeling about this one, it seems someone have found a way to screw us via our corrupt politicians.

Is our port services in any way better than countries where they don't have this so called CTN?

Why don't they  have it in Ghana, I shipped there all the time and I don't pay a penny in CTN, we have to dig deeper on this one, I SMELL A RAT!!

Write to local newspapers to voice your opinion, they are out disseminating wrong information about it already, I saw it in CHAMPION the Minister was saying it won't increase any fee because according to him we are already paying it we just don't know because the agents don't tell us, well my point is my charges just went up by almost $500 extra.

"A service contract for the implementation of Cargo Tracking Note (CTN) Management in Nigeria by the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) was endorsed by the Council.

The CTN management is one of the cargo verification solutions used in many countries in response to increased sophistication in trade and terrorist attacks.

The CTM is is revenue-generating and it is estimated to yield a projected revenue of 10 million Euros, equivalent to 2.4 billion naira annually [b]which is at no cost to the country or the shippers.
"

[url]http://www.afriquejet.com/news/africa-news/nigeria-to-get-us$-500-mln-loan-from-ida-2009121039819.html[/url]
Re: Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by FARAMADE(m): 5:08pm On Feb 10, 2010
Chi_Chi77:

Where can I get a link to that announcement about the new charges, I need to forward it to some folks just incase.

Fhemmmy:

Does anyone knows the website to get more information on this issue?
My shipping agent send me www.Africanctn.com but it is not returning any reasonable page.


muhbest:

Did anybody knows about the new shipping and clearing cars  policy in Nigeria Cargo Tracking Notes (CTN)

The correct url is www.africactn.com please note without the "N" as in africa"n"
Re: Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by ChiChi77: 8:30pm On Feb 10, 2010
@ Farmade, Thanks for posting the link. I thought that I read somewhere of an update that this will not go into effect until March 2010?
Re: Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by FARAMADE(m): 9:15pm On Feb 10, 2010
Yes, I heard that too but any shipment that is not on it's way by now will probably arrive in March so watch for a lot of that problem in March and April.
Re: Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by oluloveme: 1:06pm On Feb 11, 2010
Many thanks for this Post.!!!!!
Re: Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by AMERICANEX(m): 10:34pm On Feb 19, 2010
I have been inquiring about this and shouting for weeks.

We do a big volume of Ro/Ro and CNTR s into Nigeria. Many of our customers do no believe this is the "real deal" .

Come March 1st . lets hope things can be handled in the African Manner "on the bottom" . Everyone that ships with our company was warned .

A note of interest is that any value declared to US customs may be declared on the CTN (if you do not make plans with your shipper)

These CTN's show the value declared of the cargo - Don't hurt yourselves.

John
973-824-2333
AEL@verizon.net
JSTROZYK@AELSHIPPING.COM
Re: Ctn Cargo Tracking Notes (ctn) by AMERICANEX(m): 10:41pm On Mar 03, 2010
Ok so what is the latest in Nigeria w/ the CTN?

Are fines being imposed - Is it needed - or can it be managed without?

It is a shame that this is a Monopoly and not open for Freemarket activity - the Nigerian Government is really bending everyone over and allowing these contractors to have their way. To purchase the CTN in the United States there is only one company that it can be bought from. And since the Nigerian government has a 60/40 or 50/50 split with the company collecting the CTN money and issuing the Tracking notes - where is the free market competition. I am sure that if the business were "put out to bid" to all contractors - someone would have come in and offered maybe a 90/10 split and saved everyone a boat load of money. If a CTN for a single small ro/ro vehicle is 375.00. at 50/50 -then that means Nigeria is only getting - 187.50 for each one. This Monopoly on the CTN's must change. If the split was bid out to another contractor that maybe went 90/10 - then the CTN would only cost you @ 205.00 based on the ratio.   

NIGERIANS should demand FREEMARKET conditions.

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