Bengal Tiger Line Ltd and X-Press Feeders have reduced Chennai Trade Recovery (CTR) charges for vessels arriving or sailing out of Chennai Port Trust, following quick movement of containers, reported The Hindu.
BTL has revised the surcharge from US$200 to $140 per TEU at the first container terminal and to $70 at the second container terminal. X-Press Feeders has fixed the surcharge at the first and second container terminals to $135 and $65 per TEU respectively.
BTL ruled out further reductions in the surcharge unless Chennai port opened more gates and terminal operators resumed berthing windows and removed restrictions on imports and exports.
A terminal operator said that the inventory level at both the terminals on Monday was about 8,000 TEUs against 17,000 TEUs last month. They had relaxed the restriction on export boxes to help the exim trade and as on date, the export inventory at Chennai represented 60 per cent of total boxes. Berthing windows for vessels would commence soon.
While welcoming the decision, Chennai Custom House Agents' Association president A V Vijayakumar said that they a wanted total withdrawal of surcharge by the vessel operators as there has been a significant improvement in the movement of containers.
“Almost all the shipping lines and feeder operators have introduced the surcharge. It is disappointing only two of them have come forward to slash it. We are not opposed to levy of surcharge. But it should be commensurate with the delay. Levying huge surcharge and withdrawing only a portion does not augur well for the trade,” said G. Raghu Shankar, chairman of Southern India Chamber of Commerce and Industry shipping committee.
A Chennai port official said that for the past few weeks they have been urging the shipping lines and feeder operators to reduce the surcharge as the inventory was under control.
Besides, they were taking steps to open one more leaf at zero gate within a week's time and offered to help the first terminal operators to handle up to 2,500 TEUs per day to keep the inventory under control.
BTL has revised the surcharge from US$200 to $140 per TEU at the first container terminal and to $70 at the second container terminal. X-Press Feeders has fixed the surcharge at the first and second container terminals to $135 and $65 per TEU respectively.
BTL ruled out further reductions in the surcharge unless Chennai port opened more gates and terminal operators resumed berthing windows and removed restrictions on imports and exports.
A terminal operator said that the inventory level at both the terminals on Monday was about 8,000 TEUs against 17,000 TEUs last month. They had relaxed the restriction on export boxes to help the exim trade and as on date, the export inventory at Chennai represented 60 per cent of total boxes. Berthing windows for vessels would commence soon.
While welcoming the decision, Chennai Custom House Agents' Association president A V Vijayakumar said that they a wanted total withdrawal of surcharge by the vessel operators as there has been a significant improvement in the movement of containers.
“Almost all the shipping lines and feeder operators have introduced the surcharge. It is disappointing only two of them have come forward to slash it. We are not opposed to levy of surcharge. But it should be commensurate with the delay. Levying huge surcharge and withdrawing only a portion does not augur well for the trade,” said G. Raghu Shankar, chairman of Southern India Chamber of Commerce and Industry shipping committee.
A Chennai port official said that for the past few weeks they have been urging the shipping lines and feeder operators to reduce the surcharge as the inventory was under control.
Besides, they were taking steps to open one more leaf at zero gate within a week's time and offered to help the first terminal operators to handle up to 2,500 TEUs per day to keep the inventory under control.