Shipping to Port of Banjul, Gambia: West Africa
Shipping
Located on the estuary of The Gambia River, and 26 nautical
miles from the Atlantic Ocean, the Port of Banjul is
widely recognised for its safety, service reliability
and unrivalled management system.
Gambia Ports Authority (GPA).
The Port of Banjul, is the country's main port managed
under a public enterprise, the Gambia Ports Authority
(GPA).
The Port is also well known for its simplified cargo
documentation procedures, greater use of containerisation,
optimal utilisation of equipment, and competitive
tariff system.
There exist facilities for the transhipment of cargo
by coaster or deep-sea vessels to other ports in West
Africa, as well as transit sheds and bonded warehouse
facilities.
Within the Africa region, the Banjul Port is unrivalled,
turning around vessels much faster than the regional
competition and continuously being upgraded and modernised
to meet the needs of a growing trade sector anticipated
in the Trade Gateway Project (TGP).
Shipping and Export Terminology
Exporting employs a unique body of words and phrases,
all of which the beginner will soon become familiar
with. For the time being we might briefly consider
a few of the more common terms used in exporting circles:
Bills of Lading - This is the document provided
by the shipping line as receipt and proof of ownership
of the goods transported on your behalf. Usually the
document tends to come with multiple copies, some
of which are forwarded to the importer and others
to the paying bank as evidence of trading.
Certificate of Origin - This is a statement
by the exporter with the backing of a Chamber of Commerce
and sometimes an embassy. The document states from
which country the goods emanate.
Commercial Invoice - More detailed and complex
than everyday invoices with which the reader will
doubtless already be familiar, this document contains
a full description of goods, along with packing marks,
weights, insurance details and information regarding
transportation routes. Some countries require Chamber
of Commerce confirmation of the invoice's contents;
others require all information provided to be given
in their own official language.
FOB (Free On Board) - The usual means of quoting
export prices. The price includes carriage to specified
ports or docks, and charges up to placing on board
the ship or aircraft taking the items to their intended
destination. If shipped from Southampton, the contract
might then say 'fob Southampton'.
CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight) - A little
further on from FOB this cost is that of FOB plus
insurance on board.
Price Ex Factory - The price of your goods
where the buyer has to arrange and pay for all other
costs of carriage, insurance, etc.
Letter of Credit - A common form of payment
for exports, provided and controlled by the paying
bank.
Consolidated - Where your exported goods are
consolidated or grouped with others, usually in a
container, in order to obtain the benefits of cheaper
shipping rates.
