THE MADAGASCAR government has decided to raise a surcharge on all worldwide cargoes imported into Madagascar. A Certificate of Loading in Accordance with the Madagascar Government (ACCLM) will be applied with effect from the Mer Austral vessel Srakane V: 53/01 arriving in Durban on June 28. The ACCLM is a charge raised on break-bulk cargo and containers. The funds will be used for the upgrading and refurbishment of existing port structures on the island, as well as the standardisation of maritime structures within Madagascar. It will also enable the government to obtain accurate information on cargo flows into the country. A blank ACCLM form, with one to accompany each bill of lading, will cost US$30. Each 20ft container will be charged $125 with double that figure for 40ft containers. Conventional and break-bulk cargo will be charged $5 per unit. The only exemptions are oil products and humanitarian aid, but the government has warned that bills of lading not accompanied by an ACCLM certificate will be subject to severe penalties and will not be allowed to be cleared through Madagascar customs until an ACCLM certificate is produced and all penalties settled. King & Sons has been appointed South African agent. They will set daily rates of exchange and have stated that ACCLM charges are acceptable on a prepaid basis only. Should an ACCLM number not be reflected on the manifest and corresponding bill of lading, the cargo will not be cleared and penalties will be incurred. "A full set of Shipped on Board non-negotiable bills of lading clearly reflecting the corresponding ACCLM number is to be compiled by each agent for the respective voyage and vessel," says Darren Lowe, Mer Austral's owner's representative in South Africa. His line is one of the most seriously affected by the new regulation. "These details must be made available to King & Sons within 48 hours of the vessel departing from South Africa. It is also incumbent upon agents to advise any changes immediately. In the case of transhipment, the shipper or representative is required to remit details of the port of transhipment and feeder vessels prior to this taking place. "We are all well aware that there may be a few teething problems regarding the implementation of the surcharges, but if the basic procedure is adhered to, these problems should be minimal," he says.
