Users object to rise of 5.6% in SA port tariffs
Port tariffs have increased by up to 5.6 percent, in line with inflation forecasts and to finance investment plans.
Mohammed Abdool, the chief financial officer of the National Ports Authority (NPA), said in a letter to customers posted on the NPA website: "We have to adjust tariffs to enable us to meet our service commitments, particularly the rollout of our infrastructure investment programme."
Over the next five years the NPA will spend about R18.5 billion on infrastructure upgrades.
The tariffs, which became effective at the beginning of this month for the year to March 2008, "have been limited to a maximum of the forecast CPIX [consumer price index excluding mortgages] of 5.6 percent and ... across the entire port system, the net average tariff increase equates to just 3.5 percent", said Abdool.
"We are confident that these adjustments support our commitment and continuous efforts to reduce the costs of doing business through the South African port system."
A spokesperson for the Association of Ships' Agents and Brokers of Southern Africa (Asabosa), said last week: "Both Asabosa and the Association of Shipping Lines have objected [to the tariff increases] on the grounds that continuous annual increases do little to encourage additional ship calls. Instead, it has the reverse effect."
For the year to March 2007, NPA tariffs rose between 3.5 percent and 4.5 percent. In the year to March 2006 the NPA's cargo tariffs rose 1 percent.
In the previous two years Transnet's tariffs had been hiked 16.5 percent and 35 percent, respectively, according to reports.
This year's increases include 5.6 percent for pilotage services, which would now cost about R7 443 in Durban and about R12 384 in Richards Bay.
The NPA tariff for bulk imports per ton would now cost R45.47, while exporting bulk cargo would now cost R34.09 a ton. Both costs represent a 4.5 percent rise on the previous year.
The NPA tariff for importing a twenty-foot container is about R1 682, while the cost of exporting the equivalent size container is now about R835, up 4.5 percent from last year. There are other NPA fees levied on vessels that will be added by shipping lines to the cost of importing and exporting cargo.
Over and above the NPA tariffs, the SA Port Operations (Sapo), which runs 13 terminals at seven ports, levies its own charges for cargo handling.
According to Asabosa, Sapo's increases for this year are in line with the NPA's tariff increases.
Mohammed Abdool, the chief financial officer of the National Ports Authority (NPA), said in a letter to customers posted on the NPA website: "We have to adjust tariffs to enable us to meet our service commitments, particularly the rollout of our infrastructure investment programme."
Over the next five years the NPA will spend about R18.5 billion on infrastructure upgrades.
The tariffs, which became effective at the beginning of this month for the year to March 2008, "have been limited to a maximum of the forecast CPIX [consumer price index excluding mortgages] of 5.6 percent and ... across the entire port system, the net average tariff increase equates to just 3.5 percent", said Abdool.
"We are confident that these adjustments support our commitment and continuous efforts to reduce the costs of doing business through the South African port system."
A spokesperson for the Association of Ships' Agents and Brokers of Southern Africa (Asabosa), said last week: "Both Asabosa and the Association of Shipping Lines have objected [to the tariff increases] on the grounds that continuous annual increases do little to encourage additional ship calls. Instead, it has the reverse effect."
For the year to March 2007, NPA tariffs rose between 3.5 percent and 4.5 percent. In the year to March 2006 the NPA's cargo tariffs rose 1 percent.
In the previous two years Transnet's tariffs had been hiked 16.5 percent and 35 percent, respectively, according to reports.
This year's increases include 5.6 percent for pilotage services, which would now cost about R7 443 in Durban and about R12 384 in Richards Bay.
The NPA tariff for bulk imports per ton would now cost R45.47, while exporting bulk cargo would now cost R34.09 a ton. Both costs represent a 4.5 percent rise on the previous year.
The NPA tariff for importing a twenty-foot container is about R1 682, while the cost of exporting the equivalent size container is now about R835, up 4.5 percent from last year. There are other NPA fees levied on vessels that will be added by shipping lines to the cost of importing and exporting cargo.
Over and above the NPA tariffs, the SA Port Operations (Sapo), which runs 13 terminals at seven ports, levies its own charges for cargo handling.
According to Asabosa, Sapo's increases for this year are in line with the NPA's tariff increases.
