Shipping group backs push to stop new port fees

MANILA  -The Association of International Shipping Lines (AISL) said they were backing the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) push to stop additional fees and charges collected by port authorities, hoping that it would mean the scrapping of a planned cargo container monitoring system.

Patrick Ronas, president of AISL, told the Inquirer earlier on Thursday that they were in favor of this measure, citing it would be a welcome development for shipping lines, as well as importers and exporters.

Ronas also mentioned that he hoped this would dissuade the Philippine Port Authority (PPA), from pushing through with the Trusted Operator Program-Container Registry and Monitoring System (TOP-CRMS).

“It’s just that PPA that wants to come up with a system called TOP-CRMS, and this will add to costs,” he said.

Trade Undersecretary Ruth Castelo, during a government forum tackling President Marcos’ second State of the Nation Address earlier on Wednesday, said they wanted a moratorium on additional port fees and charges as part of a six-point agenda to improve the country’s food security situation.

Crucial move

As controversial as it may seem, according to the Trade official, she said they view this move as crucial in reducing transportation and logistics costs.

Meanwhile, the TOP-CRMS has been largely viewed by a majority of business groups as entailing additional costs for them, amid plans to replace the refundable P20,000-container deposit insurance fee in the current system with a P980 fee for monitoring and insurance costs.

Major and influential local business groups such as the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Philippine Exporters Confederation and the Alliance of Concerned Truck Owners and Organizations have opposed the moves, among others.

Foreign businesses have also rallied behind groups calling on the government to junk plans for the TOP-CRMS.

—Alden M. Monzon INQ