The chairman of the Pakistan Yarn Merchant Association (PYMA), Danish Hanif, has said that port congestion charges are against the ground realities and totally unjustified, due to which imports are facing huge financial burden and demanded there charges withdrawal. He urged the federal minister for ports and shipping Mir Hasil Khan Biazenjo to take immediate action over the imposition of port congestion charges by shipping lines from imports before their cargo is released.
He said that many shipping lines have started collecting the exorbitant amount of $300 per 40ft container and $150 per 20ft containers in the name of port congestion charges.
Container terminals at Karachi Port faced congestion for a brief period of time in the past, he said, and the matter has been resolved. Therefore there is no congestion at Karachi Port now, he added. He said that two major shipping lines, APL and MEGA shipping groups, are not ready to withdraw port congestion charges although presently there is no congestion at the terminals.