ANERA cancels threat on port surcharge plan
JAKARTA (JP): The Asia North America Eastbound Rate Agreement (ANERA) group of shipping lines canceled yesterday its plan to impose surcharges on users of its services at the Tanjung Priok port due to improvements in port services and facilities.
James T.Y. Chen of the San Francisco-based ANERA told The Jakarta Post yesterday that the group's members have experienced better service at the Tanjung Priok port, including a reliable berthing schedule and faster vessel turnover.
"Many things have improved. The yard has been expanded, the stacking ground is getting bigger and customs procedures are getting better," Chen said.
According to official data from the port, zero waiting time for ships increased to 69 percent this month from 46 percent in August. Waiting time of up to two hours decreased to 26 percent this month from 44 percent in August, and waiting time between two and eight hours fell to five percent from 10 percent.
Container handling activities have also improved to 19.7 boxes a crane per hour this month from 18 boxes in August. Average daily productivity increased to 2,751 boxes from 2,665 boxes.
Chen, quoting an official port report, said that the waiting times of between two and eight hours are for vessels with no fixed schedules or berthing contract. Vessels arriving ahead of schedule must also wait.
Concern
Despite the improvement, Chen said ANERA is concerned about the poor maintenance of port facilities and the below average security in the stacking ground.
He said there have been increasing reports of theft from containers. Although the amount theft was relatively small, it was irritating and a serious blow to exporters and importers.
Similar cases at Guatemala's port have led ANERA to impose container security surcharges, Chen said.
ANERA threatened last July to impose congestion surcharges if the Tanjung Priok port management didn't ease what it called a serious level of congestion at the port. The backlog increased the shipping lines' costs.
The congestion surcharges would have required ship users to pay an additional US$100 for a 20 foot container and $200 for containers over 40 feet.
Using a "wait and see" strategy, ANERA postponed the surcharges several times. It initially planned to impose the decision on July 15, postponed it until Aug. 14 and then to Oct.1.
Chen said ANERA members in Jakarta met last week to review the efficiency program launched by the port's management, state-owned PT Pelabuhan Indonesia II. He said most members agreed to drop the proposed surcharges because of the many improvements at the port. He added that ANERA head office in San Francisco endorsed the members' recommendation.
If ANERA kept postponing the surcharge it would be "no good for our credibility and our relations with the port management", Chen explained.
ANERA includes American President Lines Ltd., Hapag Lloyd AG., Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K-Line) Ltd., AP Moeller-Maersk Line, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd., Nedlloyd Linjen B.B., Neptune Orient Ltd., Nippon Yusen Kaisha (N.Y.K.) Ltd., Orient Overseas Container Line Inc. and Sea Land Service Inc.
Chen said ANERA controls 64 percent of containers shipped between Jakarta and ports in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. (rid)