The government on Monday published the gazette notification on new tariffs schedule for goods and vessels at Chittagong port raising charges on an average 40 per cent.
The port charge has been hiked at the moment when the private inland container depots are also raising their charges in the wake of tariff increase by the Trump administration.
The government made the new port charge effective from Monday, September 15, the gazette notification says.
The Chittagong Port Authority officials said the tariff of the port has not been increased since 1986. However, it was found that tariffs for five services saw upward revision last time in May 2008.
On July 24 last, the Ministry of Finance gave its approval to a new tariff schedule, which was submitted by the Ministry of Shipping.
However, the port users and shipping agents raised objections over the move for raising charges at such higher rates.
The port users and shipping agents sat with the adviser to the ministry of shipping and high officials of the ministry on August 25, where they pleaded not to raise tariff by 20 per cent for the sake of trade and industry.
At the meeting they said a 40 per cent hike in tariffs on goods and vessels would raise the cost of doing business and prices of goods, thus raising inflation further.
However, the gazette notification did not carry any changes on the port tariff on the rates approved by the finance ministry.
Under the new rate schedule, the charges for loading or discharging containers saw a considerable rise. Boxes below 21-foot will be charged $68 from the previous rate of $43, while $102 will be charged for boxes over 21-foot against $65 previously. The charge will be $115 for over 40-foot containers.
Loading or discharging charges for Less-than-Container Load (LCL) containers-not over 21-foot-will be $204 from $130, for over 21-foot it will be $306 from $195, while over 40-foot containers will be charged $344.
The empty containers-not over 21-foot-will be charged $34 from the previous rate of $22.10, over 21-foot boxes will be charged $51 from current $33.20, and the over 40-foot containers will be charged $57 for loading or discharging.
The rate of port dues, per gross register tonnage (GRT) has been increased from $0.241 to $0.306 while pilotage charge (for 10,000 GRT vessel) raised from $357.75 to $800. The berth shifting charge (at night) has been fixed from $59.60 to $80.
The tug boat charge, inside Karnaphuli channel, up to 5,000 GRT, increased to $615 from the previous rate of $316 while the rate for vessels over 5000 GRT to 10000 GRT increased to $1230 from $632 earlier.
For the vessels over 10000 GRT to 20,000 GRT tug charge has been fixed at $2050 and for vessels over 20,000 GRT the charge is $3415.
Ship berthing or un-berthing charge also increased to $94.32 from $88.50 while mooring use charge for seagoing vessels went up to $224.85 from $167 earlier.
Vessels that would not leave berth after notice---have to pay 100 per cent additional charges for staying up to 12 extra hours and for overstaying up to 24 hours they will have to pay 300 per cent additional charges.
The vessels, which would make overstay at berths up to 36 hours, will have to count 400 per cent extra while for staying over 36 hours they will have to pay additional charges to the tune of 900 per cent.
Also the charges for using quay gantry crane / mobile harbour crane / other equipment for similar use has been increased for up to 21 feet loaded containers to $20.80 from $15 in the past, for over 21 feet containers to $31.20 from previous charge of $22.50.
The charge for 40 foot containers has been fixed at $35.10.
Also the jetty crane charges with below 10-tonne capacity has been increased from $42 to $58.24, while charges for cranes between 10 and 40 tonnes of capacity has been fixed at $174.72 and for cranes over 40 tonnes the charge is $291.20.
Also the diving board charge increased from $178.60 to $286.21, hire charge of salvage diving unit from $71.50 to $344.59, and dredger hire charge increased to $10,281 from the previous rates of $2,235 to $4470.
The jetty entry charge for people and vehicles also saw a significant rise. A gate pass (temporary) for one user will now be charged Tk 100 from previous Tk 25 while covered van, truck, and trailer entry charge will be Tk 200 from Tk 12.5 earlier.
Besides, the authorities are raising the charge for hiring dump barges from $41.70 to $68.37 while the same for explosive barges will be $97.64 from $59 in the past.
When contacted, Syed Mohammad Arif, Chairman of the Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association (BSAA), however, denounced the increase of the port charges at such a high rate.
"The charge hike will raise export and import costs and ultimately the consumers will suffer," he said.
