Priok port wants to set new levies
Priok port wants to set new levies
By Prapti Widinugraheni
JAKARTA (JP): Users of Jakarta's Tanjung Priok port have
protested against the management's plans to collect levies for
the operation of new barge cranes, saying they cannot afford to
pay more fees on top of those already imposed by the port.
T. Tadano, the chairman of the Intra Asia Discussion
Agreement, said here yesterday that executives of state-owned PT
Pelabuhan Indonesia II, which manages the port, had proposed to
charge port users an additional US$26.30 per box to finance the
new barge cranes which are expected to arrive here later this
month.
"If the port management wants to use barge cranes to increase
productivity, that's up to them, but they cannot ask private
companies to pay for this. They must do so themselves," he said.
"But there has been no final word on this and the port's
management and users are still negotiating," he told The Jakarta
Post.
Tadano said that after port users unanimously refused to pay
the additional levies last month, the port management proposed
established a small committee consisting of representatives of
domestic and foreign shipping lines as well as national importers
and shippers to discuss the issue.
However, he doubted the discussions would be productive if it
was only aimed at reaching an agreement on a certain amount of
fees.
"It will be difficult for our customers to understand the need
for these additional fees. So if that is all that the committee
will discuss, I don't think it will be very useful... But we are
open to talk about any other ideas on how to increase port
productivity," he said.
Tadano said Pelabuhan II currently imposes a container
handling charge of $62 per 20-feet full-container load and $93
for a 40-feet load. The proposed additional charge of $26.30
would be the same for both container sizes.
He said that Pelabuhan II had originally planned to start
imposing the additional levies in August.
Barens Saragih, Secretary General of the Indonesian National
Ship-owners' Association also considered it would not be fair to
put additional burdens on users. "We are already suffering losses
from the lengthy wait we have to put up with," he told the Post.
He pointed out that presently only six of the port's eight
cranes were operating properly.
Pelabuhan II was blasted by port users last year for its
inefficient management which led to prolonged waiting times for
ships.
Foreign shipping lines, which had threatened to impose a
"Jakarta Port Congestion Surcharge", agreed to postpone the
surcharge after the port's managers promised to launch a crash
program to improve port services.
Since then, the government has repeatedly claimed that the
port has improved efficiency and cut back the average waiting
time of ships.
Port users, however, still consider the improvements
insignificant, and are urging more serious efforts to boost the
port's productivity.
Tadano, who is also the chairman of the Overseas Ship owners'
Representative Association, said yesterday that port users have
no intention of imposing a port congestion surcharge on Tanjung
Priok. "But we might consider doing so if things stay the same,"
he added.
A spokesman for Pelabuhan II, Henry, confirmed yesterday that
two new cranes would be arriving at Pelabuhan II's container
terminal this month.
He refused to disclose how this would be financed, but claimed
that private companies had offered to participate in financing
the equipment.
"The Minister of Transportation has also offered private firms
and investors the chance to contribute funds, because it is
almost impossible for Pelabuhan II or the government to finance
it themselves," he told the Post.
He added that many firms had expressed their interest, "but
nothing has been finalized yet".
Henry rejected reports saying that foreign shipping lines are
considering imposing a port surcharge on Tanjung Priok. However,
he conceded that port users often complained about the slow
operation of the port's cranes during their regular meetings with
the port management.