A coalition of 10 feeder operators serving Sri Lanka's port of Colombo from various regional ports has announced plans to implement a bunker recovery surcharge effective from August 24.
These feeder operators transport cargo between Colombo and many ports in India and the Middle East, Chittagong in Bangladesh and Karachi in Pakistan.
Shippers have been alerted that the surcharge, ranging from $25 to $50 per twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU), will apply to all laden and empty containers feedered to and from Colombo.
The feeder operators say that the surcharge is necessary to meet steep increases in fuel costs over the past few months and will remain in force until bunker fuel prices stabilize below $400 per metric tonne (pmt).
Data from Bunkerworld shows that the average price of key-grade 380 centistoke (cst) fuel in Colombo yesterday was $470 pmt while 380 cst fuel in India's Visakhapatnam cost around $515 pmt.
The feeder operators also say that previously-announced fuel additional charges, to offset normal fluctuations in bunker prices, will continue to apply.
A shipping analyst told Bunkerworld that it is common for shipping lines to demand bunker surcharges, and the burden “will eventually get passed from shipper to manufacturer and eventually consumer.”
Participating operators are Bengal Tiger Line, Far East Shipping Lines, Green Feeder Lines, Orient Express Lines, Orient Shipping Services, PACC Container Line, QC Line, St. John Container Lines, Sea Consortium and Simatech Shipping.
These feeder operators transport cargo between Colombo and many ports in India and the Middle East, Chittagong in Bangladesh and Karachi in Pakistan.
Shippers have been alerted that the surcharge, ranging from $25 to $50 per twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU), will apply to all laden and empty containers feedered to and from Colombo.
The feeder operators say that the surcharge is necessary to meet steep increases in fuel costs over the past few months and will remain in force until bunker fuel prices stabilize below $400 per metric tonne (pmt).
Data from Bunkerworld shows that the average price of key-grade 380 centistoke (cst) fuel in Colombo yesterday was $470 pmt while 380 cst fuel in India's Visakhapatnam cost around $515 pmt.
The feeder operators also say that previously-announced fuel additional charges, to offset normal fluctuations in bunker prices, will continue to apply.
A shipping analyst told Bunkerworld that it is common for shipping lines to demand bunker surcharges, and the burden “will eventually get passed from shipper to manufacturer and eventually consumer.”
Participating operators are Bengal Tiger Line, Far East Shipping Lines, Green Feeder Lines, Orient Express Lines, Orient Shipping Services, PACC Container Line, QC Line, St. John Container Lines, Sea Consortium and Simatech Shipping.