Importers abandon N400m cheques at Maersk

Dele Aderibigbe, Lagos - 25.03.2008

ABOUT 2,000 cheques worth over N400 million being uncollected Nigerian importers containers deposits are now lying fallow at the corporate office of the Maersk Shipping Line in Lagos.

Maersk Nigeria Managing Director, Mr. Tom Knudsen, disclosed this in Lagos, debunking allegations that the company was fond of holding on to container deposits longer than necessary before remitting them to Nigerian importers.

“This is money I can’t use for anything. It is just sitting there,” Knudsen said, highlighting that the legitimate importers’ agents had refused to come forward to pick their cheques.

Stressing that the organisation was making container deposit refunds ready for collection between 48 and 72 hours, he refuted the claims that shipping charges had grown incredibly high after the concession, noting that only two additional charges had been included.