China: Cancellation and exemptions of fee items charged on shipping

Huatai Insurance Agency & Consultant Service Ltd., Beijing, China advises as follows:

“On 29 August 2013, the Ministry of Transport of P. R. C held a press conference, announcing that they will abolish or suspend the following fee items:

1.        Escorting fees for escorting services applied by shipping enterprises and supplied by maritime authorities for ships entering and departing Chinese coastal ports;

2.        Escorting fees for escorting services for ships entering and departing Yangtze River:

3.        Abolish escorting fees for escorting services to large LNG ships when entering and departing ports:

4.        Exempt the cargo forwarders and agents from sampling and testing costs when opening and inspecting containers loaded with dangerous cargo;

5.        The booming costs during a ship's bunkering operation;

6.        Suspend the requirement for international sailing vessels to dispose of pollutants on board before departing Chinese waters. Vessels are allowed to choose their port of convenience to dispose of pollutants, in order to avoid having to do so repeatedly when calling at more than one port in a voyage;

7.        Suspend the requirement on cargo forwarders and agents, to send coal for testing of physical characteristics when arranging the transportation of coal cargo in inland waters, in order to save them from testing costs.

Water Transport Bureau of Ministry of Transport also announced their plans to regulate the fee items as follows:

1.        Regulate the charge of ship trading service bodies. Ship trading service fee bodies should be operated on a non-profitable basis.

2.        Clear the illegal charges imposed by local authorities, such as lockage charges.

3.        Regulate the charge of port authorities.

4.        Increase the transparency of pilotage work. Pilot stations should publicise their pilotage plan, towage aid standard, pilot charge standard, etc. and subject their work to the supervision of the public.

5.        Enhance supervision of the ship agent market.

Having checked with the MSA for a more accurate implementation schedule of the abolishment and cancellation of fee items, we were given to know that a formal notice on the above is expected to be issued soon, wherein an effective date will be specified.”