ID :
30110
Thu, 11/13/2008 - 23:43
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/30110
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MINISTER TO MAINTAIN NEW CARGO HANDLING CHARGE RATES AT PORTS
Jakarta, Nov 13 (ANTARA) - Transportation Minister Jusman Syafii Djamal said he would not revise his ministry's new regulation on Terminal Handling Charge (THC), Container Handling Charge (CHC) and surcharge rates at ports.
"No. There will be no revision. They (shipping companies) have rejected the provision because they do not understand it. It's a form of response, not a deadlock," the minister told the press here on Thursday.
The minister made the remarks following reports that hundreds of export cargo containers have been left unhandled for days at Tanjung Priok port apparently in protest against the new THC rates.
The Transportation Ministry through its decision dated October 21, 2008 fixed new THC rates whereby shippers of 20-feet containers at Tanjung Priok port are charged US$95 per box with the amount breaking down into a CHC fee of US$83 and a surcharge of US$12.
Besides, the provision also stipulated that the THC rate for 40-feet containers was fixed at US$145 per box, or a CHC fee of US$124.5 CHC plus a surcharge of US$20.5.
The new provision was rejected by shipping companies.
According to Djamal, the regulation was issued in order to make clear the structure of transportation costs so that there would be no parties who would be disadvantaged.
"As to their objection to the value added tax, this is actually not the responsibility of the technical department," he said.
Therefore, the minister hoped the parties concerned would understand the context of the new regulation on the THC.
In the meantime, the head of the public communication affairs of the Transportation Ministry, Bambang S Ervan, said a few foreign shipping companies had refused to transport containers.
"Some foreign ships have refused, but not all. There are ships that are available to lift containers. Today, 1,450 boxes are in the process of being loaded onto ships," he added.
He said some of the foreign ships that had accepted containers were the MV Itaboom, MV Kota Indah and MV Muxmoon.
"No. There will be no revision. They (shipping companies) have rejected the provision because they do not understand it. It's a form of response, not a deadlock," the minister told the press here on Thursday.
The minister made the remarks following reports that hundreds of export cargo containers have been left unhandled for days at Tanjung Priok port apparently in protest against the new THC rates.
The Transportation Ministry through its decision dated October 21, 2008 fixed new THC rates whereby shippers of 20-feet containers at Tanjung Priok port are charged US$95 per box with the amount breaking down into a CHC fee of US$83 and a surcharge of US$12.
Besides, the provision also stipulated that the THC rate for 40-feet containers was fixed at US$145 per box, or a CHC fee of US$124.5 CHC plus a surcharge of US$20.5.
The new provision was rejected by shipping companies.
According to Djamal, the regulation was issued in order to make clear the structure of transportation costs so that there would be no parties who would be disadvantaged.
"As to their objection to the value added tax, this is actually not the responsibility of the technical department," he said.
Therefore, the minister hoped the parties concerned would understand the context of the new regulation on the THC.
In the meantime, the head of the public communication affairs of the Transportation Ministry, Bambang S Ervan, said a few foreign shipping companies had refused to transport containers.
"Some foreign ships have refused, but not all. There are ships that are available to lift containers. Today, 1,450 boxes are in the process of being loaded onto ships," he added.
He said some of the foreign ships that had accepted containers were the MV Itaboom, MV Kota Indah and MV Muxmoon.
