On Wednesday 7 February 2024, the Cameroon National Shippers' Council (CNSC) convened a consultative meeting with a view to finding solutions to concerns recently raised by a number of shippers and licensed customs brokers.

Shipping lines and stevedores operating at the Port of Douala are allegedly obliging shippers and licensed customs brokers to use their road transport services for the inland delivery of cargo imported through the Port of Douala.  Some shipping companies are also reported to deliberately delay the issue of Release Orders as a means to penalise offenders.

These acts, which are in breach of the regulations in force, were examined during the meeting chaired by CNSC's Director for Trade Facilitation and Transport Observatory, Mr. Fernand Douglas Nolga, on behalf of CNSC's General Manager.

Also in attendance were representatives of the Port Authority of Douala, the Union of Shipping Agents and Shipowners of Cameroon, shipping lines using the Port of Douala, as well as the shippers and Licensed Customs Brokers who filed these complaints.

This initiative by the CNSC was very much welcomed by the various stakeholders and a number of recommendations were adopted at the close of discussions. The CNSC, for its part, pledged to see to the implementation of these recommendations, and to further its efforts to facilitate foreign trade operations throughout the transport chain in Cameroon.