More Japanese
investments in maritime industry eyed
THE Maritime Industry Authority (Marina)
is wooing Japanese firms to further invest in the country's
maritime industry.Marina Administrator Vicente Suazo,
Jr. said this is the right time for foreign investors
to do business in the Philippines despite the political
turmoil in the country.
"With the current activity in our local shipping
industry, I can assure the Japanese this is the right
time to invest here. Business opportunities are here,"
Suazo stressed.He added there is enough market activity
here particularly in the Shipbuilding and Shiprepair
industries since there is huge demand in Ro-Ro vessels
to be deployed in the Strong Republic Nautical Highway
project of the government.
Suazo is being helped by the Japanese International
Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japan Bank of International
Cooperation (JBIC) to land a partnership with Japanese
maritime firms.He is also set to meet his Japan Maritime
Authority counterparts, Japan maritime industry stakeholders,
vessel operator, shipbuilders and financing institutions
as well as other investors to market the Philippines
to them.
The Marina chief, who will fly to Japan on July 26,
will be accompanied by up to six local vessel operators
as well as a number of local shipbuilding operators
in their bid to land numerous affiliation with Japanese
firms.Suazo is expecting to bring home several tie-ups
with Japanese companies.
Japan is the fourth country being courted by the Marina
to offer several partnerships or financing programs
to local operators to jump start growth in the local
shipping industry.
The first three countries, Germany, Australia and Norway,
already pledged to invest in the country within the
year either through direct investments or financing
programs.These countries are set to invest some $20
million each in the local shipbuilding and shiprepair
industries. A German shipbuilder is set to build 10
Ro-Ro vessels to be deployed locally.
THE customs administrative order (CAO)
draft which would define Customs transactions relating
to Republic Act 9280 or the Customs Brokers Act of 2004
still hangs in the balance, especially with the resignation
of Customs commissioner Alberto Lina from the Arroyo
cabinet last week. Lina quit with nine other cabinet
members who mostly held economic portfolios. The ten
then called for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's
resignation.
But even before his resignation, Lina had already refused
to sign the CAO middle of last week. In a meeting with
members of the Chamber of Customs Brokers, Inc. (CCBI)
and the Philippine Regulatory Board (PRB), he cited
specific provisions in the draft prepared by deputy
commissioner Roberto Geotina that still need revisions.
"The signing did not push through since the final
draft still needs revisions, including definition of
terms and phrases and imposition of accreditation and
registration fee," a source told PortCalls.He said
Lina wants to review the draft first, especially after
some customs brokers led by the CCBI and PRB protested
the inclusion of a provision allowing attorney-in-facts
to continue processing informal entries at Customs.
The source added the ex-commissioner suggested that
a registration fee amounting to P5,000 per registration
and accreditation fee of P3,000 per practitioner be
assessed.The CAO defines the rules and regulations governing
accreditation of customs brokers and their transactions
with the BOC.
The source said the draft CAO also includes the creation
and establishment of the Office for Customs Brokers
Affairs (OCBA) under the Office of the Commissioner.
The OCBA is tasked principally to handle the accreditation
process of customs brokers desiring to transact business
with Customs."Customs brokers who wish to transact
customs business shall apply for and obtain a certificate
of accreditation as customs broker either as an individual
or as a general professional partnerships," the
source said, quoting the CAO draft. - Maritess R. Mesias
PHILIPPINE AIRLINES (PAL) is seeking
to impose yet another fuel surcharge two months following
its first round of rate hike due to the increasing fuel
price.Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) executive director
Carmelo L. Arcilla said the country's largest airline
applied for a fuel surcharge of $37 from $22 for international
passengers. It also petitioned for an increase in cargo
rates to $0.45 per kilogram from $0.35 per kilogram.
PAL said it wants to cover unabated escalation in the
cost of fuel in the world market that has reached a
July average of $52.88 per barrel from a June average
of $51.08.Fuel comprises over 40% of the airlines' operating
costs.Arcilla said CAB has scheduled the public hearing
on PAL's application on July 19.
Once approved, the fuel surcharge would apply to PAL
flights to the United States and Canada, specifically
on routes to Vancouver, San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Las Vegas, Honolulu, and Guam.PAL's other international
routes to Japan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Macau,
Middle East, Asia and Australia were not covered by
the application.
"The application has to go through quasi-judicial
proceeding. But this early we think the application
would be approved not only because there are no expected
oppositors but also because fuel costs are increasing
in the world market," Arcilla said.In May, CAB
allowed PAL to collect an additional $8 in fuel surcharge
in one-way fares to the US, Canada and Australia. The
airline was also permitted to add $3 in one-way fares
to the Middle East and other destinations.
PAL and its sister company Air Philippines as well as
its rival Cebu Pacific Air were also allowed to impose
fuel surcharge in domestic fares last May.
DHL Express Philippines last week announced
the launch of its Webship service, a user-friendly online
express shipping tool.The Webship service allows DHL
customers to select the right shipping and value-added
services for each shipment, prepare airwaybills and
customs documentation, and access the latest service
bulletins and customs information.
DHL customers can also schedule pick-ups and track shipments
online, save up to 300 customer addresses, access shipment
records for 99 days and alert recipients and other interested
parties."With Webship, our customers can enjoy
seamless end-to-end business control. It helps them
to manage all their shipping requirements smoothly and
efficiently from the convenience of their computers,"
DHL Express Philippines Country Manager Larry Llamzon
said during the lauching of the service last week in
Makati.
Customers using Webship simply need to log on to www.dhl.com.ph
and click on the Webship icon to register. Webship also
uses the latest encryption technology to ensure secure
transactions over the internet.DHL is 100% owned by
Deutsche Post World Net.
The company 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. DHL's international network links
more than 220 countries and territories worldwide.
With annual revenues of over 24 billion euros in 2004,
DHL is the global market leader of the international
express and logistics industry, specialising in providing
innovative and customized solutions from a single source.
