... with no further guarantees
Alan Peat
NO FIRM facts or figures regarding the moratorium on the congestion surcharge proposed by the shipping lines have been made available to FTW, despite questioning a number of the local senior executives.
There's no final deadline date when the surcharge could be re-imposed; and no indication of how well an extension of the moratorium would be taken by the lines.
It's a "wait-and-see" situation, according to Dave Rennie, c.e. of Unicorn Shipping and chairman of the Container Liner Operators Forum (Clof), a sentiment echoed by Maersk SA m.d. Peter Ehrenreich.
Both suggest that no further decisions will be made on the local scene, with any final word coming from the lines' principals and/or the appropriate shipping line conference.
This was confirmed by Steve Pollington of the Europe SA Conference, the multi-line body which slapped the contentious surcharge on shippers in the first place.
"This (moratorium/surcharge) is still under discussion," he said.
But, while it was indicated to FTW that there was a feeling in some quarters that the moratorium must be extended, "this is not a view held universally", Pollington added.
Ehrenreich, for example, confirmed that the Maersk Sealand viewpoint was that already expressed by a Copenhagen-based executive that the line "is in favour of the surcharge".
This, he added, because the Danish principals feel that it will only be when the cargo owners are forced to pitch in to the argument, that "the port authorities/
politicians will do something about it".
He and Rennie did confirm that the present moratorium would remain in place until April 15.
"But after that," said Ehrenreich, "who knows what will happen."
