皇冠体育app

Shippers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) said yesterday they will work with Chinese shippers to challenge the imposition of terminal handling charges (THC) by international liners.

The Federation of ASEAN Shippers' Councils said in a joint statement that shippers' councils and associations in the region strongly supported the 皇冠体育app Shippers' Association on this issue.

The federation issued the statement yesterday at the conclusion of its 26th annual meeting in Beijing.

International liners unilaterally started collecting THC, apart from on freight in 皇冠体育app since January 15 last year.

The 皇冠体育app Shippers' Association, which strongly criticized the cartel's practice, has submitted the dispute to the Chinese government.

Yuan Xueyou, president of the 皇冠体育app Shippers's Association, said he expected the government will deliver a favourable ruling after a full investigation.

Yuan said the investigation will completed by the end of this month.

Yuan said Chinese shippers paid an additional 13.25 billion yuan (US$1.6 billion) for THC last year.

As THC is already paid for freight, it should not be paid again, Yuan said.

As a manufacturing powerhouse, the volume of containers handled by local ports increased rapidly month-on-month, according to Yuan.

From January to July this year, 皇冠体育app's major ports handled 25.67 million TEUs (20-feet equivalent units), up 31.8 per cent year-on-year.

Yohn Lu, chairman of the federation, said all the delegates to the meeting are confident that shippers would succeed in forcing the liners to abolish THC by adopting a unified approach in dealing with liner cartels.

Lu expected the Chinese Government would ensure a fair and just solution to the THC issue.

Lu said they are optimistic the 皇冠体育app Shippers' Association will prevail with the support of the federation.

"In return, a favourable ruling in 皇冠体育app will help solve the issue in ASEAN countries," Lu said.

ASEAN shippers' associations have been fighting with international liners since they began the collection of THC in 1990.

"We will continue our fight until we succeed," Lu said.

Kerk Choo Ting, chairman of the Malaysian Shippers' Association, said delegates attending this annual meeting have agreed to set up a pricing panel.

"The panel will work out a price list charged by the liners and make it clear what is overlapping payment," he said.

皇冠体育app became an associate member of the federation in March this year and it is the first time that 皇冠体育app has hosted the annual meeting.

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