Containers blocked at the port of Algiers waiting for scanner control

Huge quantities of imported meat and fish destined for the Algerian consumers during the holy month of Ramadan have become unfit for consumption due to the power outage that lasted a week in the port of Algiers.

•  

•  The trucks that carried the containers were forced to queue up for their passage under the port’s scanner, exposing thus the perishable products to high temperatures.

•  

• The containers are not automatically checked by the moving scanner upon their unloading but stocked inside the port premises until the final delivery to their owners.

•  

• To recall, four foreign companies are holding sway on the shipping operations at the port of Algiers, namely: the Turkish” Arkass”, the Danish” Mearsk”, the Swiss MSC” and the French CMSGM” that controls 60% of the traffic.

•  

• Several questions have been raised over the absence of the Algerian companies knowing that the sole company that owns a scanner for the control of imported goods is the Algerian Port company in addition to the French “CMSGM”.

•  

• Algerian counts among the fewest countries in the world that do not control the containers upon their unloading from the boats giving thus free wheel to numerous cases of irregularities and putting in jeopardy the citizens’ health.

•  

• Normally, the scanner is operational around the clock but despite that, nearly 600 boast are forced to berth night and day waiting either to pass through the scanner or get the permission to unload the containers.

•  

• But the working hours during the holy month of Ramadan have been reduced to less than 15 starting from 10 am till 6 pm, than work resumes at 9 pm till 2 am .

•  

•