KARACHI (January 11 2003) : Karachi Port Trust has reduced up to 11 percent in its 'Wet Charges' and implemented a new tariff to facilitate exporters and importers. The new tariff will go into effect from January 15.
The new tariff focuses on simplifying procedures, removing arbitrary discretion and rationalising the ratio between wet and dry charges.
The wet charges include port dues, berthing, pilotage and haulage.
These charges being charged in US dollars have special significance in the income of the port.
Karachi port handles around 70 percent of national carriage, which includes country's imports and exports, in an effort to transform into a user-friendly and modern port.
For formulation of the tariff all the representative bodies of port users, that include Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Pakistan Ship Agents Association, All Pakistan Shipping Association, Karachi Custom Agents Group and Karachi Stevedores Conference have been consulted all along.
Abolishing overtime charges will not only provide relief to the port users but will also bring transparency in the working of the port.
According to new revised tariff, the wet and dry charges have been reduced and revised by reducing the number of slabs.
All overtime charges have been abolished and wharfage has been summarised in 17 categories only.
This would offer an opportunity to the port users to work 24 hours.
Trans-shipment rates have been introduced for all types of cargo and the rates for containers have been reduced with an increase in free period from 20 to 30 days.
Discretionary-free period on various accounts has been abolished.
Storage charges on export cargo have been completely abolished.
Procedure for handling dangerous cargo have been simplified. Berthing charges have been reduced by introducing 12-hour slabs (After the 24-hours) instead of present 24-hour.
The KPT has also reduced port dues from $ 46 per Gross Registered Tonnage to $ 30 per GRT for less than 5,000 GRT ships and $40 per GRT for ships more than 5,000 GRT.
All extra pilotage charges have been abolished. Tuggage charges have been reduced from $559.5 per tug to $485 per tug.
Ancillary charges like surcharge on liquids and direct delivery charges have been merged in the wharfage.
The demurrage date for all types of cargo has been fixed on completion of vessel as against completion of 51 percent of cargo which would simplify the system.
Wharfage and storage charges at Napier Mole Berth (NMB) have been brought at par with other landing areas.
One time holding charges on storage have been abolished.
Slabs on storage have been reduced to three which includes rates for storing export cargo on plinth and covered areas have been introduced, various slabs in crane charges have been finished and flat rates have been introduced, booking and cancellation of cranes has also been simplified and flat rates introduced for cancellation and charges from non-users of Heavy Lift Quay Cranes and Floating Cranes have been reduced to half of what the users will pay.
The impact of reduction in wet charges will be that for typical container ship (average one day stay) US $ 17540 will be charged against previous charges of US $ 19,994 showing reduction of 11.40 percent.
For typical bulk ship (average seven day stay) US $36,340 will be charged against previous charges of US $40,034 showing reduction of 11.02 percent and for typical oil tanker (average two day stay) US $33440 will be charged against previous charges of US $36234 showing reduction of 10.83 percent.
