Port of Melbourne releases 2013 - 14 tariff schedule
Port of Melbourne Corporation (PoMC) has formally released its Reference Tariff Schedule (RTS) for por t fees to apply from 1 July 2013. As highlighted in industry briefings ahead of its release, the 201 3 - 14 RTS is influenced by the requirement of PoMC to remit an annual licence fee to the Victorian Government, said in the press release.
The starting rate of the PLF was set at $75 million for 2012 - 13 and is escalated by CPI each year. To recover the PLF quantum in 2013 - 14 and provi de continued funding of PoMC’s infrastructure development program, PoMC will adjust its prices by 5 .2 % overall . The impact on some specific fees and charges , as set out in the RTS, is as follows:
Wharfage for loaded twenty foot containers will increase by $3.20 to $64.40 per TEU plus GST
Wharfage charges for empty containers will increase by $0.80 to $16.00 per TEU plus GST
Motor vehicle charges will increase by an average of $1.82 per motor vehicle to $37.96 plus GST
Channel fees w ill increase on average b y 5.2%
The discount on channel fees provided to cruise vessels will decrease by 5% to 25%
The Channel Deepening Project (CDP) Infrastructure levy will remain unchanged and will not be subject to a CPI escalation this year . PoMC has provide d industry with u pdates on the status of PLF recovery which fell below forecast. The ‘ under’ recovery of the total amount of the PLF in 2012 - 13 ( by approximately $3 million ), due to a decrease in total trade throughput compared to the original forecast , will carry over int o the following financial year commencing 1 July. This mechanism applies equally in periods of ‘ over ’ recovery when the PLF impact on fees may be reduced.
Releasing the RTS, PoMC Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Bradford, said: “As PoMC indicated last year, ‘under’ or ‘over’ recovery of the PLF is inevitable in any financial year but will be accounted for in adjustments to the subsequent year’s Reference Tar iff Schedule. This is the case for the RTS in the second year of incorporating the PLF into our pricing structure. ” “Financial modelling is never an exact science, particularly in a period of fluctuating trade, but we remain optimistic that trade growth wi ll return to its long - term average. ” “ Importantly, PoMC has been transparent with industry stakeholders throughout this process with the publication of detailed Information Papers and face - to - face briefings and we thank them for their considered input.” Th e 2013 - 14 RTS can be viewed on PoMC’s website at www.portofmelbourne.com