By: Momodou Justice Darboe
International shipping line MSC has expressed disapproval of the recent congestion at the Banjul Port, urging the Gambia Ports Authority (GPA) to deal with the issue head-on, reliable sources informed this reporter.
The GPA has made some remarkable gains in the past two years or so in dealing with the berthing issues that have been affecting the port for many years after it established an in-land container depot to decongest the port of empty containers.
Before this, ships used to remain at the anchorage for weeks and days.
However, this gain has been reversed in the past few weeks as container ships have been waiting at the anchorage for 20 days or so.
Sources informed this reporter that the recent ship accommodation problem at the Banjul Port was caused by the preferential treatment that the authorities offered the Jah Oil company’s cement vessels.
“It was true that the ports had been experiencing an uptick in ship waiting time in the past 20 days,” a senior port official admitted in a chat with this medium.
“I think we need to have a frank conversation about this issue because it’s affecting the masses,” our interlocutor added.
Meanwhile, sources said the authorities were compelled by circumstances to accord preferential treatment to Jah Oil’s cement vessels to avoid embarrassment as Jah Oil promised to satisfy the country’s cement demand.
“Jah Oil’s vessels were given a top priority at the ports because the authorities wanted to avoid embarrassment. However, this resulted in huge congestion, depriving other vessels of their berthing right,” one source said.
MSC shipping line has reportedly vented their frustrations to the GPA, regarding the dramatic increase in ship waiting time