Shippers and officials of the Douala City Council (CUD) met on 6 April 2023 to once again debate on the applicable fees for container emptying which continues to stir disaccord amongst business persons. The meeting, initiated by the Cameroon National Shippers' Council (CNSC) after registering a number of complaints from shippers, was chaired by CNSC's Deputy General Manager, Mr. Younouss Soungui. 

Mr. Moukete Ekoume, Director of Legal Affairs and Litigations at the Douala City Council, explained that the purpose of the meeting was to shed light on the criteria used for the establishment of these fees by the Douala City Council, and not to take any resolutions. He, however, underlined that no text is written in stone, and these discussions might create room for the revision of the applicable fee.

The justifications presented by CUD officials, particularly the CEMAC code and Cameroon’s law on the protection of the national road assets, among others, did not seem to have convinced shippers of the need to apply a fee on container emptying. Through its Deputy General Manager, the CNSC has assured shippers of its assistance and mediation in other meetings to be held on the same subject in the near future.