DGS issues advisory on levying export rail freight and special priority charges for containers

MUMBAI : The Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) has advised shipping lines, freight forwarders, non-vessel owning common carriers, multi-modal transport operators and custom house agents to allow the export-import (EXIM) trade to make direct payments to the railway authorities for export rail freight of containers.

The country’s maritime regulator has also advised these entities not to levy special priority charges for according priority to containers.

The advisory follows representation from EXIM trade that some shipping lines were charging inland hauling charges (lHC) and ‘special priority charges’ (SPC) for providing out of turn containers to shippers for exports.

The DGS said that the levy of export rail freight without giving option to the shippers to make direct payment and levy of special priority charges violated an earlier advisory issued in 2016.

Source : The Hindu Businessline