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PPA Eliminates
Wharfage on Foreign Empties
SHIPPING lines engaged in foreign and domestic
trade will get a reprieve from the payment of
import and domestic wharfage on empty containers.
Effective July 30, all shipping lines and port
managers will be required to observe the new
policy in the assessment of wharfage fees on
foreign-owned and domestic empties.
Under Memorandum Circular No. 22-2004, the Philippine
Ports Authority (PPA) said the move is in response
to developments in international shipping trade,
particularly with regard to mergers and acquisitions
and the emergence of alliances, resulting in
co-ownership of container vessels.
Empty foreign containers shipped by and consigned
to a foreign shipping line or manifested as
having no commercial value and brought into
the country for use in export shipments, will
not be subject to the payment of import wharfage.
Should the foreign container require transport
to another Philippine port to load export cargo
and be shipped via a domestic vessel, the container
- though considered as cargo - shall not be
subject to domestic wharfage, PPA said.
The circular further specified that foreign
empties, resulting from the stripping of its
contents, shall also not be subject to import
wharfage if they will be used to load cargoes
that are for export.
However, if the empty container is owned by
companies in the business of container leasing,
cargo forwarding or logistics, the corresponding
import or domestic wharfage will have to be
paid.
Foreign empties imported by a domestic shipping
line or any local company will also have to
pay import or domestic wharfage.
Domestic empty containers, on the other hand,
will only be charged domestic wharfage if used
in coastwise trade transported through vessels
not owned by the same shipping line, PPA said.
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PSAA
Sees Higher Freight in the Horizon
THE Philippine Ship Agents Association (PSAA)
recently expressed concern over the spiraling
cost of fuel, saying this could mean higher
costs for end consumers.
In an interview, PSAA president Agapito Capistrano
said freight could increase in the coming months,
especially since fuel prices have gone up 30%
in the last year.
He refused, however, to elaborate on the timetable
and as to how big the increase would be.
"At the end of the day, this will be a
passed on cost to shippers and other port stakeholders,
and ultimately, to the country's consumers,"
he noted.
Capistrano said fuel costs constitute a large
chunk of operators' overhead costs. Some shipping
lines spend an average $7,000 a day for fuel.
Even with the spiraling costs of fuel and its
impact on trade, Capistrano said shippers do
not have any choice but to keep transporting
their goods. "The continuous escalation
of fuel prices will not prevent people from
moving their cargoes. We are left with no choice
but to adjust ourselves to these changes,"
he shrugged.
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PISFA's
1st Community Service Activity Takes Off
THE Philippine International Seafreight
Forwarders Association (PISFA) recently conducted
its 1st Community Service as part of the association's
20th anniversary celebrations.
"The response was overwhelming with almost
all of our members contributing to the activity,"
said Barbie Rivadeneira, PISFA director and
head of the newly established PISFA committee
on Insurance and Community Service which put
together the charity event.
Beneficiaries were 200 families from Port Area,
Manila who were fire victims; as well as young
children from Hospicio de San Jose, Saint Rita
Orphanage, and Ahon Bata Center.
On July 16, 2004, fire victims from Barangay
650 Zone 68, Port Area, Manila became the first
beneficiaries. "We chose this place as
our first stop because as freight forwarders,
the seaport is near our hearts," Rivadeneira
said.
A thanksgiving mass was officiated by Fr. Ed
Guatero at the Club Intramuros Golf Country
Club. This was followed by distribution of donations,
including old clothes and assorted canned goods.
In attendance were Erich Lingad, PISFA president;
Irene Manguiat, PISFA vice president; Jimmy
Roxas, former PISFA director; Ed Quizon of the
Philippine Shipper's Bureau; and volunteers
from Skylink, Skyfreight, All Transport, All
Systems, OOCL Logistics, Transmodal International
and Pacific Concord.
Al Capistrano, general manager of Club Intramuros,
provided the sound system, the altar, tables
and chairs.
In the afternoon, Rivadeneira together with
PISFA Cebu Chapter Vice President Monette Cuenca
proceeded to Hospicio de San Jose to distribute
assorted foodstuff. Sister Vangie Muñoz,
DC received the donations.
On July 17, PISFA gave donations of various
foodstuff to the Saint Rita Ophanage in Parañaque
City. The orphanage has in its care 22 children,
eight of whom are infants.
Donations were received by Sister Agustina Santos
and social worker volunteer Gemma Gilvero.
Finally on July 21, 2004, packs of foodstuff
were donated to Ahon Bata Center in Pasay City.
The packages were received by officer-in-charge
Nely Culong.
Established in October 1998, Ahon Bata is a
processing center for rescued male streetchildren
aged between 7 and 17 years of age. The center
takes care of 98 kids, four of whom are in high
school, 20 in the primary, and the rest attending
non-formal livelihood training programs.
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DHL
Delivers World-Class Cinema to Manila
DHL recently delivered world-class
cinema to Manila through its sponsorship of
the 6th Makati Cinemanila International Film
Festival. All international express requirements
for the recently concluded film fest were handled
by DHL - shipping over 60 films from USA, Russia,
UK, Italy, France, Denmark, Finland, Brazil,
Afghanistan, Singapore, India, and many other
countries, all the way to Manila.
Considered to be the most prominent international
film festival in the Philippines, Cinemanila
gathered over 60 critically acclaimed films
from all over the world, and was participated
in by filmmakers, diplomats, artists, and media
from across the globe.
"We at DHL are proud to play our role in
the Cinemanila Film Festival," said DHL
National Marketing Manager, May Cuevas. "By
bringing films of the finest quality from different
countries to one destination, and with it, a
cooperation of diverse cultures, we have, in
our own way, moved the world in the classic
DHL fashion of speed and reliability."
Tikoy Aguiluz, Festival Director for Cinemanila
and one of the maestros of Filipino film industry
said, "We thank DHL for contributing to
the success of the festival. Cinemanila brings
global films to local cinemas and vice versa."
DHL offers expertise in express, air and ocean
freight, overland transport and logistics solutions,
combined with worldwide coverage and an in-depth
understanding of local markets.
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Big
shipping operators to service direct Batangas-Caticlan
link
THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA)
said big shipping operators offering roll-on/roll-off
(ro-ro) services are interested in deploying
vessels to directly service Batangas to Caticlan.
In between these areas are ro-ro linkages such
as the Batangas to Calapan and Roxas to Caticlan
routes, the most profitable ro-ro linkage to
date. By mid-April this year, vehicle count
in the area reached approximately 1,800.
An official from PPA said ongoing construction
of a ro-ro ramp at the port of Caticlan may
have stirred up shipping companies' interest
to call directly at Caticlan.
At present, the port's berthing area is being
dredged to six meters so it can accommodate
bigger ships. The P59-million project is expected
to be completed by middle of next year.
The additional nine-by-135 meter ro-ro ramp,
whose construction started early this year,
will have a 2,340-square meter back-up area
that can stack up to 800 twenty-foot equivalent
units (TEU) or 1,600 TEUs when arranged two-high.
PPA said the new facility at the port of Caticlan,
once complete, will aid in the reception of
big ships carrying 35 to 40 rolling cargoes.
The existing port jetty is only temporary and
was designed to service small ships.
Meanwhile, the port of Batangas recently completed
the construction of the 120-meter long and 10-meter
deep dedicated domestic general cargo berth
in the area where big vessels of major domestic
carriers will dock. The berth, still in the
"curing period" will be operational
within the next few months.
The PPA official said the port agency is conducting
a market study on the viability of the route
and its impact on smaller shipping operators
servicing short-distance routes.
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New Electronic
Chart System Introduced
THE
government recently came up with a new navigational
equipment that will support the marine transportation
infrastructure and coastal management while
ensuring safety and security of the vessel while
on voyage.
Jesulito A. Real of the Coast and Geodetic Surveys
Department of the National Mapping and Resource
Information Authority under the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources introduced
the Electronic Navigation Chart (ENC), a real-time
support database enclosed in a compact disc
(CD).
The ENC supports all types of marine navigation
by providing the official database for Electronic
Charting Systems (ECS), including the Electronic
Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS).
The ECS is the charting software system used
in presenting electronic chart data on a computer
screen. The ECDIS, on the other hand, is a computer-assisted
navigation system which can be accepted as the
up-to-date chart required by V/20 of the 1974
Safety of Life At Sea Convention.
Aside from the real-time navigation support
system, Real said the ENC also helps the mariner
avoid collision and grounding and has a current
display capability essential for large vessel
navigation.
"The ENC also provides fully integrated
vector base maps - its major feature - for use
in geographic information systems that are used
for coastal management or other purposes,"
he added.
He said the ENC is recognized as the official
electronic charts by the International Hydrographic
Office (IHO) and conforms with the IHO Special
Publication 57, editions 3.0 and 3.1.
At present, there are six available areas or
testing positions for the ENC in the Philippines:
Manila Harbor, Manila to Cavite, Northern Luzon,
Central Visayas, Mindanao and Sulu Sea.
Real noted the ENC is relatively cheaper compared
to traditional paper charts, which are often
subject to wear and tear. The price for the
database ranges from P400 for small-scale charts
to P500 for medium-scale and P600 for large-scale
charts. Database update only costs P100.
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Industry
forum on Customs Brokers Act
MORE than 300 industry personnel
attended the recent industry briefing on Republic
Act 9280, also known as the Customs Brokers
Act of 2004, at the Casino Filipino in Parañaque
City.
The affair was keynoted by Customs Commissioner
Antonio Bernardo.
Main speaker Atty. Agaton Toedoro Uvero, an
international trade and customs lawyer, presented
key provisions of the new legislation.
The law prohibits corporate practice of customs
brokerage.
Panelists included Bert Domondon, Rudy Salazar,
Dr. Anthony Cristobal, Constantino Calica and
Julita Lopez.
A second industry forum, to be jointly organized
by the Philippine International Seafreight Forwarders
Associa-tion, Aircargo Forwarders of the Phils.,
Inc. and PortCalls, is scheduled on August 4,
from 1:30 to 3:30 pm. Venue will be announced
shortly.
Customs Commissioner Antonio Bernardo (right)
gave the keynote address. With him are (L to
R)
panelists Constantino Calica and Dr. Anthony
Cristobal and PISFA president Erich Lingad.
Main speaker Atty. Agaton Teodoro
Uvero details key provisions of the law
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