Transport Ministry and business associations to look into possible denomination of RF port charges in foreign currency
RF Transport Ministry, Federal tariff Service, Association of Commercial Sea Ports, Russian Chamber of Shipping and other interested organizations will consider reasonability of RF port charges denomination in U.S. dollars, IAA PortNews reporter refers to Andrei Lavrishchev, Executive Director of Federal Marine and River Transport Agency (Rosmorrechflot), as saying at the meeting of the Agency’s expert council.
According to him, the share of port charges in total revenues of Rosmorport makes about 85% and sharp devaluation of the national currency affects strongly the Agency’s budget.
Andrei Lavrishchev also said some costs of the Agency directly depend on the exchange rate. In particular, expenses for construction and repair of vessels and Vessel tracking management systems.
However, stevedoring services in ports are denominated in U.S. dollars as well as bunkering services, etc. Due to devaluation, ship owners have considerably decreased their expenses related to port charges.