There’s a battle brewing in the container transport industry in the Philippines over suggestions by freight professionals in the Philippines freight industry that they’re paying fees and charges that are unfair in order to move freight. Apparently, the list of charges and fees is significant and suspicious to many firms and they have called for an investigation to be conducted on whether shipping lines have been adding charges that are unnecessary and over the top.
There’s no reason not to investigate claims of abuse, but freight carriers have to be prepared to accept the decision of the agencies tasked with the investigation. They might not get the decision they’re looking for, but they could be right and such things do need to be investigated. Shipping lines should have the right to alter their fees and charges, depending upon conditions and expenses, after all they do need to make a profit, but just as surely we need to keep an eye out for possible abuses.
There are a few changes in the works that could help alleviate this problem a little in the future, they’re planning on implementing a new nationwide Import Assessment System in the ports of the Philippines that should help decrease charges and fees by moving the assessment process on line. This system has already been in use in ports in the Philippines and has been met with some success, so maybe the implementation in all of the ports of the Philippines will allow for the fees and charges to be more consistent.
In the meantime freight carriers will just have to deal with the situation, until the investigation comes to a decision, which could take awhile. The costs will be passed onto customers anyway, which is a bad situation for all involved, but what other choice to they have?
http://www.ifw-net.com/freightpubs/ifw/ind…tid=20017747342
Tags: container transport, freight, freight carriers, freight forwarders, freight moving, freight shipping, freight transport, heavy haul, moving freight, shipping freight, trucking companies, trucking services, Trucking transport