Additional charge for inaccurate ETA information
PORTNET will impose penalties from June 1 on all shipping lines and operators who provide late documentation and inaccurate ETA information.
According to chief executive Rob Childs, the accuracy of information supplied to Portnet terminals by the shipping lines and container operators has not improved since an initial pilot project was undertaken in August 1997.
In a report addressed to the shipping lines and terminal operators and made available to FTW, Childs said that it was vital that the accuracy of information supplied to Portnet terminals was improved before a First Planned First Served berthing policy could be successfully introduced. "This is a prerequisite for the introduction of service level agreements with individual shipping lines," he said. Childs added that the shipping lines and industry had agreed on this formula at a recent meeting held in Johannesburg.
In terms of the June 1 scheme, Portnet will levy a late documentation fee of R50 per container (minimum charge of R1000 per vessel call) for import container lists submitted less than 72 hours before a vessel is at the outer anchorage and available to berth. This excludes vessels from the Indian Ocean Islands, Mozambique and Namibia, which are being allowed 24 hours.
An additional charge of R1000 for every six hours will also kick in for vessels exceeding an allowable 4-hour deviation on the 3-day ETA, again excluding coastal and Indian Ocean vessels.
Childs says the penalty system will apply for a six month period from June 1. Accuracy of discharge, load and restow volumes supplied for each vessel will also be closely monitored during this time.
BY TERRY HUTSON
