Transport Oversight Committee Targets Shipping Lines with New Financial Submission Requirements
By Abdul Rahman Bah
On Wednesday, August 14, 2024, the Oversight Committee on Transport convened a meeting at the Sierra Leone Parliament Tower Hill, Freetown, with representatives from several shipping lines, including Maxline, OBT/WAKA, MSC, and CMA.
During the session, Hon. Bashiru Silikie, Deputy Leader of Government Business and Committee Chairman, underscored the importance of adhering to parliamentary decisions regarding demurrage fees. He reiterated that fees cannot be charged for periods of less than ten days, excluding weekends and public holidays. Any money collected in violation of this rule must be refunded.
“I want to make it clear that no shipping companies should demand demurrage for a period of less than ten days, excluding weekends and public holidays,” Hon. Silikie stated firmly. He warned that companies failing to comply with this directive would face serious consequences.
The committee has mandated all shipping lines to submit their manifests and bank statements detailing payments received from January 1 to July 31, 2024. These documents are required to be submitted to the committee clerk by the upcoming Wednesday. Hon. Silikie emphasized that after this deadline, the committee would begin inviting individual shipping lines for further inquiries.
The committee is focusing on individual shipping lines rather than any Association of Shipping Lines. Hon. Silikie reminded the companies that they are registered as individual entities and must comply with the request for financial documentation.
Following the deadline, the committee plans to engage with each shipping line individually to review any unlawful collections made from Sierra Leonean companies. Hon. Silikie noted that any monies collected during the specified period are considered illegal under current laws. He cited evidence that some shipping companies have been unlawfully charging $20 for twenty-foot containers and $40 for forty-foot containers, reflecting a 30% increase that should have been collected on behalf of the government of Sierra Leone.
The committee also intends to investigate transfer charges and other fees related to Verified Gross Mass (VGM) that have not been properly transferred. Hon. Silikie assured that all shipping lines will be scrutinized for their financial practices concerning any unlawfully collected monies to ensure compliance with the law.
In closing, Hon. Silikie referenced Section 105 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone, affirming that Parliament is the sole authority for enacting laws. The substantive chairman of the committee on Transport and Aviation, Ambrose Maada Lebbie, directed the committee clerk to notify the Director-General of the Sierra Leone Port Authority (SLPA) of the ruling. Letters will also be sent to the Commissioner of the National Revenue Authority (NRA) and the Office of the President.
