By G Saravanan
Published in The New Indian Express on November 19, 2011:
Source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/Port-Trust-may-ban-erring-vessels/334724.html
CHENNAI: Signalling a significant change in its stand on shipping liners that continue to collect Chennai Trade Recovery (CTR) surcharge from traders despite warnings, the Chennai Port Trust management is likely to ban the erring vessels from entering its premises.
Speaking to the press on the sidelines of a trade committee meet with Belgian representatives here, Chennai Port Trust Deputy Chairman P C Parida said, “We are seriously considering a ban on the entry of those shipping liners that are still collecting CTR surcharge despite being told by the port management not to do so.”
If the port’s plan translates into action, the shipping liners calling at the Port would be forced to withdraw CTR surcharge that has been in vogue since August last.
Reacting to the CTR issue, Union Minister for Shipping G K Vasan said he would take up the matter with the Commerce Ministry soon.
While the surcharge amount announced by the shipping liners on both import and export containers was around 65 USD (per container) in August, it has been tripled by November first week to a whopping 200 USD per container.
Though the shipping liners have not disclosed as to how they arrived at the amount, they maintained that the levy was due to poor connectivity in evacuating containers from the liners and bringing them to the Chennai Port.
When the chambers and other trade bodies represented the CTR issue with the port management, the authorities — who first said it was not their problem — organised a meeting to end the stalemate last week. Though the meet was originally organised to persuade the shipping liners to withdraw the surcharge and refund the collected levy to the traders, nothing significant emerged out of it. A few shipping liners (including Bengal Tiger Lines) announced reduction in the levy imposed.
Published in The New Indian Express on November 19, 2011:
Source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/Port-Trust-may-ban-erring-vessels/334724.html
CHENNAI: Signalling a significant change in its stand on shipping liners that continue to collect Chennai Trade Recovery (CTR) surcharge from traders despite warnings, the Chennai Port Trust management is likely to ban the erring vessels from entering its premises.
Speaking to the press on the sidelines of a trade committee meet with Belgian representatives here, Chennai Port Trust Deputy Chairman P C Parida said, “We are seriously considering a ban on the entry of those shipping liners that are still collecting CTR surcharge despite being told by the port management not to do so.”
If the port’s plan translates into action, the shipping liners calling at the Port would be forced to withdraw CTR surcharge that has been in vogue since August last.
Reacting to the CTR issue, Union Minister for Shipping G K Vasan said he would take up the matter with the Commerce Ministry soon.
While the surcharge amount announced by the shipping liners on both import and export containers was around 65 USD (per container) in August, it has been tripled by November first week to a whopping 200 USD per container.
Though the shipping liners have not disclosed as to how they arrived at the amount, they maintained that the levy was due to poor connectivity in evacuating containers from the liners and bringing them to the Chennai Port.
When the chambers and other trade bodies represented the CTR issue with the port management, the authorities — who first said it was not their problem — organised a meeting to end the stalemate last week. Though the meet was originally organised to persuade the shipping liners to withdraw the surcharge and refund the collected levy to the traders, nothing significant emerged out of it. A few shipping liners (including Bengal Tiger Lines) announced reduction in the levy imposed.
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