A bitter confrontation appears to be brewing between India’s Mumbai Port Authority and user associations over the levy of additional charges on stranded vessels.
This after the port was forced to shut down following the MSC Chitra-Khalijia-3 collision Aug. 7, causing the backup of a number of vessels.
The Mumbai-Nhava Sheva Ship Agents’ Association requested the Shipping Ministry urgently intervene in the matter as the port authority turned down several user requests for allowing waiver on berth hire fees accrued during the affected period.
“Many vessels of our members were stranded in the port or at the stream, putting carriers and their agents in a lot of difficulties, particularly delayed berthings, etc., which culminated in considerable monetary hardships,” the user group said. “The Port Trust is unnecessarily delaying the rectification of bills raised as no charges are due on account of delayed sailings because of the shutdown.”
A leading agent said the authority’s stance on applying berth hire fees for delayed sailings at no fault of users is totally unjustified as government-approved tariff provisions provide for remission in such instances.
"There shall be a time limit beyond which berth hire shall not apply; berth hire shall stop four hours after the time of vessel signaling its readiness to sail,” the agent said, citing guidelines.
The association also said the issue was raised at a recent meeting of the Port Trust Board, and officials “verbally” agreed to consider waiver requests.
A massive oil spill caused by the collision coupled with fairway obstructions forced the closure of cargo terminals at both Mumbai and Nhava Sheva (Jawaharlal Nehru Port) for nearly a week with restrictions to vessel movements lasting almost a month. An inquiry by India’s maritime monitoring agency, the Directorate General of Shipping, found the breakbulker Khalijia-3 was primarily responsible for the mishap.
This after the port was forced to shut down following the MSC Chitra-Khalijia-3 collision Aug. 7, causing the backup of a number of vessels.
The Mumbai-Nhava Sheva Ship Agents’ Association requested the Shipping Ministry urgently intervene in the matter as the port authority turned down several user requests for allowing waiver on berth hire fees accrued during the affected period.
“Many vessels of our members were stranded in the port or at the stream, putting carriers and their agents in a lot of difficulties, particularly delayed berthings, etc., which culminated in considerable monetary hardships,” the user group said. “The Port Trust is unnecessarily delaying the rectification of bills raised as no charges are due on account of delayed sailings because of the shutdown.”
A leading agent said the authority’s stance on applying berth hire fees for delayed sailings at no fault of users is totally unjustified as government-approved tariff provisions provide for remission in such instances.
"There shall be a time limit beyond which berth hire shall not apply; berth hire shall stop four hours after the time of vessel signaling its readiness to sail,” the agent said, citing guidelines.
The association also said the issue was raised at a recent meeting of the Port Trust Board, and officials “verbally” agreed to consider waiver requests.
A massive oil spill caused by the collision coupled with fairway obstructions forced the closure of cargo terminals at both Mumbai and Nhava Sheva (Jawaharlal Nehru Port) for nearly a week with restrictions to vessel movements lasting almost a month. An inquiry by India’s maritime monitoring agency, the Directorate General of Shipping, found the breakbulker Khalijia-3 was primarily responsible for the mishap.