Good news for shippers of containerised cargo and motor vehicles is that they can look forward to relief from high port charges next year when the new schedule of port tariffs is implemented. This will be contained in cargo discounts proposed by the Transnet National Port Authority (TNPA) tariff application for next year, but still to be approved by the SA Ports Regulator. It can be seen as a follow-up to this financial year’s R1 billion in container and motor vehicle export discounts. This reduction of container and automotive tariffs was warmly welcomed by the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “Last year, the chamber produced evidence that SA port tariffs for container traffic were three times as high as those in most other international ports, and that Transnet had used the ports as a cash cow,” said deputy president, Gordon Metter. “We are now delighted to see that the new application by the TNPA to the SA Ports Regulator reflects a new and more sensible approach. “Even if all the decreases are approved we will still be a country with some of the highest port tariffs in the world, but at least things are moving in the right direction now.” According to the TNPA, the outcome of its pricing strategy clearly indicated that import and export container and automotive cargo tariffs needed to be reduced, whilst those of other commodities – particularly bulk commodities such as coal and iron – needed to be increased. This is aligned with the Regulator, who has recently been quoted as saying that iron ore and coal tariffs are “far cheaper than the rest of the world”. In addition, the authority noted that tariffs for containers and automotives were too high, which, it acknowledged, prompted the R 1-bn export discount programme for 2012/13. It therefore proposed to reduce the 2013/14 tariffs for full container exports and imports and automotive exports, and “partly enable” this by increasing the minimum tariffs for break bulk and dry bulk cargo. The TNPA wants to increase most tariffs by 5.4% – in line with inflation. But full container exports will be reduced by 43.2% over the 2012/13 tariff book charges (before application of the R1-bn discount), with 20-foot containers rated at R614 and 40-ft at R1 228. For full box imports a 14.3% discount is to be applied, with 20-ft boxes rated at R1 866 and 40-ft) at R3 731. For motor vehicles (on wheels) the average tariff will be R315.12, a reduction of 26.7%. This will be partly compensated by upward adjustment to the tariffs for breakbulk and bulk export cargoes. Breakbulk exports of cement and clinker R will face an increase of 36.1% over the 2012/13 tariff book rate, from R4.41/tonne to R6.00/t, while coal will go up by 104.1%, from R2.94/t to R6.00/t. Dry bulk exports of coal, by 104.1%, from R2.94/t to R6.00/t; of cement and clinker R by 36.1%, from R4.41/t to R6.00/t; ores and minerals magnetite R by 104.1%, from R2.94/t to R6.00/t; chrome ore R by 13.2%, from R5.30/t to R6.00/t; and sulphur by 7.1%, from R5.60/t to R6.00/t. All other dry bulk commodities will also be rated at R6.00/t. CAPTION Tariffs for full container exports will be reduced by 43.2% over the 2012/13 tariff book charges.
