KARACHI, May 8: The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry has urged the Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT) to withdraw penalty on delay in clearance of full-load (FCL) containers. The penalty is not charged by other container terminals like QICT and PICT.

The KCCI in a press release said that there were normal customs clearance activities at ports, and the QICT and PICT have withdrawn the penalty on clearance of FCL containers, but the KICT is still charging penalty at the rate of Rs5,000 and Rs10,000 per 20ft and 40ft containers, respectively.

KCCI vice-president Haroon Agar raised the issue during a meeting with the Additional Collector of Customs (Preventive) Faiz Ahmed and called for immediate withdrawal of the penalty.

Nasir Mehmood, chairman Shipping and Multimodal Transport sub-committee of KCCI was also present in the meeting.

Haroon Agar recalled that at a previous meeting held on February 8, 2008 at the NLC Terminal with the CEOs of all the three terminal operators it was decided that the penalty levied for not lifting the FCL containers from terminals within five days will be withdrawn soon after the law and order situation caused in the aftermath of December 27 tragic incidents becomes normal.

“Consequently, PICT and QICT withdrew the penalty but the KICT in violation of the decision is still charging the penalty,” the KCCI said.

The KCCI vice-president also pointed out that terminal handling charges were recovered twice, both by shipping lines as well as the terminal operators.

The additional collector directed that the THC would be charged at one end, either by the shipping lines or by the terminal operators.

During the meeting Nasir Mehmood proposed that the tariff rates, container security deposit and LCL cargo tariff of both freight forwarders and shipping lines should be uniform and like shipping lines, freight forwarders should also be required to get the license from the collector of customs (Preventive).—APP