Europe CAF irks shippers

ALAN PEAT
FROM APRIL 15 the Europe Southern Africa Conference (ESAC) will slap on a currency adjustment factor of 8.02% - citing the present relative values of currencies against the tariff currency, the US dollar, as the reason.
This will apply to all cargoes, both ways, between Southern Africa and UK/ Northwest Continent and Mediterranean ports.
The CAF will apply from the southbound sailings of the P&O Nedlloyd Livingstone (voyage E226) and the P&O Nedlloyd Portbury (E227); and northbound from the P&O Nedlloyd Heemskerk (A720) and Safmarine Agulhas (A721).
It is applicable to the following charges:
¡ñ Ocean Freight;
¡ñ Outport and pre/on carriage additional;
¡ñ Special equipment additional;
¡ñ COD and optional destination additional;
¡ñ Heavy lift charge;
¡ñ Long length charge; and
¡ñ Out of gauge additional /lost slot charges.
This added charge has met with an immediate adverse reaction.
Colin Schultz, distribution manager for the Cape¡¯s major shipper, SANS Fibres, and founder member of the port liaison forum in the Mother City, sent FTW the details of CAF along with his comment.
¡°I wish we had captive customers and could unilaterally bring in charges to adjust any 'factor' that we felt like!¡± he said.
¡°Now the lines are in a dominant position all the additional charging methods are coming out of the woodwork - like CAF, then what?¡±
Unfortunately, Schultz said, his company doesn¡¯t have this luck. It is in a competitive market, and - to remain competitive ¨C it has had to shed 25%-plus of its employees, and become smarter at what it¡¯s doing.
¡°Also,¡± he added, ¡°it¡¯s a one-way trade. I didn¡¯t see any payback when the rand was weak.¡±