Clarion Shipping Woos Nigerian Shippers With Incentives, Promises No Container Deposit, 21 Days Free Period

Clarion Shipping Woos Nigerian Shippers With Incentives, Promises No Container Deposit, 21 Days Free Period

Vice president Clarion Shipping, Belladine Eloka 4th from right flanked by signatories at the e unveiling  of M/ V Ocean Dragon on Wednesday, 17 September,2025 at  Rockview  Hotel Apapa Lagos 

By Frank Odinukaeze

Clarion Shipping West Africa Limited has announced a raft of incentives for Nigerian importers, exporters, freight forwarders, and customs brokers as part of its bid to lower the cost of doing business at the nation’s seaports.
Speaking in Lagos on Wednesday, Vice President of the company, Mrs. Bernardine Eloka, said Clarion Shipping was committed to trade facilitation and cargo clearance, assuring stakeholders that patronizing indigenous shipping lines would drastically cut logistics costs.
Among the incentives unveiled are the removal of container deposits, a 21-day free period, and a $500 reduction on freight charges for every 40-foot container, as well as $300 for each 20-foot container shipped.
Mrs. Eloka highlighted the importance of indigenous participation in the maritime sector, noting that the company’s flagship vessel, MV Ocean Dragon, had commenced operations with routes from Calabar to Port Harcourt. She explained that the ship was positioned not only to support imports but also to drive Nigeria’s export ambitions across Africa, with businesses in Abuja, Calabar, and other regions already making bookings.
“Our progress is driven by the trust and patronage of Nigerian importers and exporters. With your support, we will deliver the solutions our people deserve,” she said.

Founder,NNPP/ NAGAfF,Dr Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam speaking of the event on Wednesday,in Lagos

The vice president also acknowledged the contributions of partners, including Chinese collaborators led by Mr. Peter Leng Lijiang, and local supporters such as Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed, Chairman and Managing Director of Hafnaz Oil and Gas, who provided bunkering and tugboat support.
Industry stakeholders lauded the initiative, describing it as a bold move in strengthening Nigeria’s indigenous shipping capacity. President General of the Association of Igbo Maritime Practitioners in Nigeria (ASIMPIN), HRM Eze Damian Obianigwe, prayed for the growth of the company, while stressing the importance of women in advancing local maritime development.
Similarly, founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, praised Clarion Shipping for succeeding where government-backed ventures had failed. He urged freight forwarders and customs brokers to rally behind the company, warning that entrenched interests in the sector might attempt to frustrate its progress.
“Despite the capital-intensive nature of shipping, Clarion Shipping has taken a bold step. The freight forwarding community must support them to ensure indigenous operators are not strangled by foreign mafias,” Aniebonam said.
Other stakeholders, including Chief Osita Chukwu Patrick, National Coordinator of the Save Nigerian Freight Forwarders Importers Exporters Coalition (SNFFIEC), and Jibril Usman, Chairman of Tin Can Island Chapter of APFFLON, expressed optimism that Clarion Shipping would ease the burden of practitioners. They emphasized the need for management to uphold its promises on container-free deposits and free grace periods.
Chief Uba Lawrence, of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), added that the indigenous liner would bring relief to shippers long exploited by foreign operators.
With MV Ocean Dragon already in service, Clarion Shipping has set its sights on redefining Nigeria’s maritime space, giving shippers and agents a reason to embrace home-grown solutions to high logistics costs.
In his presentation , Mr. Solomon Ogudu, Regional Manager of Clarion Shipping West Africa, described the launch as the product of more than a decade of deliberate effort to address Nigeria’s pressing logistics challenges.

“The unveiling of Ocean Dragon is not just about celebrating a vessel, but about providing an indigenous solution to long-standing problems in Nigeria’s maritime and logistics sector,” Ogudu stated.
He highlighted Clarion Shipping’s evolution from a freight forwarding firm into a full-fledged indigenous shipping company with a footprint across Lagos, Onne, Calabar, and Onitsha River Port. The company is also a licensed terminal operator, shipping agent, and provider of haulage, baggage, and inland waterway services.
Ogudu noted that Clarion had pioneered operations in previously underserved regions, including becoming the first terminal to operate in Anambra and to establish a rural terminal network in Nigeria. Through partnerships with global carriers such as MSC and COSCO, the firm has moved over 200,000 TEUs across Africa, a foundation that paved the way for its latest milestone.
Unlike foreign shipping lines that often restrict deliveries to Nigeria’s major ports, Ogudu explained that Clarion Shipping’s service model offers shippers more flexibility.
“When you ship with us, you have the benefit of taking delivery at your preferred location. We leverage strategic partnerships with terminals in Calabar, Onne, and across the region to ensure cost reduction, efficiency, and real-time delivery,” he said.
He emphasized that Clarion’s operations are designed to reduce costs associated with road transport inefficiencies, particularly in the South-South and South-East, while also promoting export activities through new hubs in Calabar and Conair.
Ogudu further outlined incentives for customers, including waiver of container deposits, 21 days of free storage, competitive terminal charges, and efficient inland clearance within 24 hours.
While thanking stakeholders for their support, Ogudu called for sustained patronage to ensure the growth and sustainability of the indigenous venture.
“We cannot achieve this dream without your support. For the sustainability of this business and the growth of the sector, your patronage is key,” he appealed.
He concluded by dedicating the milestone to the resilience of Nigeria’s maritime sector and reaffirmed Clarion Shipping’s commitment to innovation and indigenous solutions.

In an exclusive interview with the High Honourable, Ambassador Uba Lawrence described the event as an “unusual but historic one,” Uba Lawrence, a chieftain of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), applauded the unveiling of MV Ocean Dragon, a privately-owned vessel by Varan Shipping, saying the feat is a testament to Nigerian ingenuity and resilience.
Speaking further in an event powered by the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Chief Lawrence dismissed suggestions that his presence marked a shift in the often frosty relationship between ANLCA and NAGAFF. He clarified that he attended the ceremony purely out of personal commitment and family ties to the vessel’s owner.
“My being here is not even on the basis of ANLCA or NAGAFF. The president of Varan Shipping, Chief Jai Loka, is my uncle. I am here because I’m involved. I have to partner with it, project it, and promote it,” he explained.
Chief Lawrence hailed the milestone as groundbreaking, noting that while Nigeria has long struggled with indigenous vessel ownership, a single individual has now achieved what many considered impossible.
“As a person, I give all glory to God. I’m very happy and pleased that it is happening in our own time. I pray that God will give them the strength and enablement to expand so that from MV Ocean Dragon, more vessels will follow and reach the four corners of the world,” he said.
On the issue of sustainability, he pointed out that the company has already demonstrated capacity.
“From the first ship that arrived on July 3, a customer who took delivery of cargo gave testimony here today about the quality of service. If they sustain that and take note of observations raised, the sky will be their starting point, not the end,” he added.
While acknowledging that challenges are inevitable for a new entrant in a sector long dominated by foreign operators, the ANLCA stalwart expressed optimism about the company’s prospects.
“There must be challenges, and there already are. It’s not easy to break even, especially in a field dominated by foreign partners. But no life is seamless. What matters is the ability to overcome them, and I pray God gives them that strength,” he noted.
The unveiling of MV Ocean Dragon is seen by industry stakeholders as a major boost for indigenous participation in Nigeria’s maritime sector, with hopes that it will inspire more private sector investments in shipping and logistics.
The event was massively attended by industry stakeholders, NAGAFF chieftains, including Dr Arthur Igwilo, chairman of the organising committee,Fwdr Godfrey Emeka Nwosu , General Secretary, NAGAfF,Dr Clement Iwegbuna aka Omenma,National Publicity Secretary NPS,and Ruth Sunday, Deputy National Publicity Secretary DNPS.