Pakistan: Freight forwarders directed to levy uniform tariff

News was prepared under the information support of Online Daily Newspaper on Hellenic and international Shipping "Hellenic Shipping News".

15 May 2008

Additional Collector of Customs (Preventive), Faiz Ahmed, has directed shipping lines and freight forwarders to levy uniform tariff rates which must be printed on the bill of lading while also instructing them to observe uniform tariff policy for LCL cargo. He further directed both freight forwarders and shipping lines that security deposit of 20 feet and 40 feet containers for Karachi should only be at Rs10,000 and Rs25,000 respectively and for upcountry, it would be at Rs25,000 for 20 feet and Rs50,000 for 40 feet containers maximum, which would be refunded later by returning the original payorder.
He passed these orders during a recent meeting with a delegation of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) at the Custom House Karachi. As freight forwarders are under the Ministry of Commerce, the additional collector agreed to submit a proposal to FBR for taking it up with the Ministry of Commerce for issuing license to them.
Identifying problems, Ahmed further decided to apply the policy of “all risks included” and all losses including loss and damage to containers would be compensated by the insurance companies under the insurance claim.
He stated the terminal handling charges would now be charged at only one end, either by the shipping lines or by the terminal operators.
KCCI Vice-President Haroon Agar said although there are normal customs activities at ports and QICT and PICT have withdrawn the penalty on full release containers, only KICT in violation of the decision is still charging the penalty which should be withdrawn to remove the discrimination in release of goods between KICT and rest of the container terminal operators.

Source: The News Pakistan