Europe to soon
adopt 24-hour cargo security regulation
THE European Union (EU) will soon 24-hour
advanced cargo information for ships going to Europe,
similar to the Automated Manifest System (AMS) of the
United States and the Advanced Cargo Information (ACI)
of Canada. In his presentation during last week's general
membership meeting of the Philippine International Seafreight
Forwarders Association (PISFA), Textainer Services director
of Sales for Asia Jackson Chen said the EU is intent
on including the requirement in the European Customs
Code amendments.
"We have already been advised that a final reading
of the regulation before the European parliament will
take place early in March. The regulation should enter
into force shortly thereafter provided the parliament
accepts the text of the regulation," he said. Textainer
Services Division (TSD) is a full-service filing AMS/ACI
service provider, whose systems may be "rented"
for direct filing of manifests.
TSD operates under Trade Logic - a consortium between
Portrade and Trade Tech/Textainer. In the Philippines,
the company is represented by IT expert Leo Morada.
Chen warned international freight forwarders, consolidators
and the non-vessel operating common carriers (NVOCCs)
to expect 24-hour filing for Asia shipments to EU destinations
by the third quarter of this year in addition to the
adoption of other regulations, including the Indian
Air Imports and the Australian Regulations. World Customs
Organization is also inclined to impose stricter trade
policies.
TSD urged freight forwarders, particularly NVOCCs, to
avail of its services as it offers 60% cheaper rates
than those charged by shipping lines. Filing the AMS/ACI
through a shipping line costs $25 per house bill of
lading (HBL), while per amendment costs $40. TSD, on
the other hand, offers $10 per HBL for basic filing
and only $5 if the user will file an EDI/XML. Cost per
amendment is only $8. Chen said TSD also offers bond
usage to forwarders which do not have their own. TSD
bond usage is $2 per HBL. Shippers are required to have
the US Custom's Type-3 International Carrier's Bond
to participate directly in the sea AMS.
A BILL that will separate the Philippine
Ports Authority's (PPA) regulatory and operational functions
will soon be filed in Congress. In his keynote speech
during the recent induction of the Distribution Management
Association of the Philippines (DMAP) officers and board
of directors held at the Edsa Shangri-la Hotel, Parañaque
Rep. Eduardo Zialcita described the present charter
of PPA as "anti-competition".
The solon noted the PPA should be a service-oriented
organization focusing on the development of public ports
nationwide to encourage more investments in domestic
shipping, and not a profit agency. At issue is PPA's
ability to approve terminal and port rate adjustments.
Because ports and terminals are required to remit a
fixed portion of their earnings to PPA, any increase
in rates approved by the PPA bring about bigger earnings
for the government agency. This is a situation many
industry observers see as conflict of interest.
He criticized the agency for allowing successive rate
increases in cargo-handling in the past. The congressman
said for over 20 years, the PPA was only able to develop
around 115 ports, majority of which are private. Zialcita
accused the Maritime Industry Authority of tolerating
the presence of cartels and monopoly among shipping
lines. In the last four years, he said domestic shipping
rates have been going up: 2% in November 2000; 6% in
November 2002; 5.98% in March 2003; 7.8% in October
2003; 9% in October 2004; and 5.5% in January 2005.
MARINA
grants 5-yr investment security to missionary route
operators
THE Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)
will grant ship operators of missionary routes five-yearinvestment
security.The grant assures the operator of a secured
time to recover his investment, MARINA administrator
Vicente T. Suazo, Jr. said in an interview. It will
also encourage more players to invest in the domestic
shipping industry.
Missionary routes are areas which do not have regular
vessel services and mostly serviced by small bancas.
The maritime agency has already submitted the initial
list of missionary routes to the
MARINA Board for approval. The develop-ment of missionary
routes is provided under Republic Act 9295 or the Domestic
Shipping Development Act of 2004 due for imple-mentation
by year-end.
THE Distribution Management Association
of the Philippines (DMAP) recently inducted its new
set of officers, directors and committee chairpersons
for the year 2005 at the Edsa Shangri-la Hotel. The
event was keynoted by Parañaque Rep. Eduardo
Zialcita and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry
president Donald Dee.
Inducted into office were Jun Gabrino, president (Splash);
Ana Rose Ochoa, vice president (Johnson and Johnsonís);
Marichelle Chan, secretary (Unilab); Boy Arceo, treasurer
(Smart Communications); Gerry Ong, auditor (Cheng Ban
Yek; and John Guillermo, public relations officer (CDO
Foodsphere, inc.). This year's directors are Cora Curay
of XVC Logistics, Al Lagera of Philippine Long Distance
Telephone Co., Alain Ison of Colgate-Palmolive Phils.,
Inc. and Noel Gerodias of MMG Corp.
Also sworn into office were new committee chairpersons
Elsie Oafallas (Membership and Finance); Joseph Luat
(Air Transport); Sammy Palomares (Sea Transport); Ninoy
Rollan (Warehousing); Danny Cabrera (Special Projects);
and Joey Castro (Air Transport).
