KPT has claimed that it has reduced port charges by 40 percent during last eight years, and Karachi Dock Labour Board (KDLB) slashed Rs 200 from the cess of Rs 1000 per TEU, which resulted in considerable benefit to trade and industry, and advised the trade and industry to improve their efficiency.
There is also categorical admission in the claim that reduction in the cess would benefit ship agents, stevedores and KPT because they pay it KDLB. And, 40 percent reduction in port charges directly benefited ships/shipping companies, not the trade and industry. Most astounding is that the KPT has portrayed the reduction as beneficial to the trade and industry, but ignored over 100 percent increase in unwarranted charges by ship-agents/shipping companies to trade and industry, which substantially increased the cost of doing business.
Indeed, KPT has reduced wharfage, which is for unloading, loading and storage of goods, from Rs 1,800 to Rs 1,500 per TEU vide SRO 69(KE)2010 dated 12th May 2010. But recovery of Rs 1,500 per TEU also is unjustified for the reason that since the induction of containerised cargo, and terminal operators handling containers on behalf of shipping companies, these charges are made payable by shipping companies to terminal operators under implementation agreement/KPT Act. KPT, however, now claims that wharfage is for providing basic facility of handling of cargo containers in port, which is fallacious. Ships availing the facility pay on the basis of "revenue tons" at specified rate.