THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) has relaxed its
container scanning procedures, exempting from the process
shipments with certificates of origin (COO).
Newly installed x-ray inspection project chief Atty. Lourdes
Mangaoang said, “Shipments with COO may be exempted
from scanning as its quantity and value can be counterchecked
from the COO.”
The agency’s scanning focus will instead turn to small
and medium enterprises and a few big corporations with high
risk of smuggling, she said.
She added the easing of procedures ensures prevention of container
pile-ups, a big problem for the BOC since the start of the
scanning requirement last year.
One company exempt from scanning is multinational Nestle,
which provides information on the quantity and value of its
goods.
Mangaoang said the bureau will be strict in enforcing which
cargoes will be scanned and not.
“The customs police will now be designated to man and
police the x-ray scanning operations,” she added.
In the past six months, scanning fees have contributed P4
million to BOC coffers.
The bureau is also embarking on a project that would make
scanned cargo images visible in several customs offices, including
the Office of the President.
The project, which requires P150 million, will deter the person
scanning questionable shipments from looking the other way,
according to Customs deputy commissioner Alexander Arevalo.
The BOC has already installed 19 non-intrusive scanners; 11
more will be installed by end-January in major ocean gateways
including Harbour Centre, the North Harbor, and Cebu, Clark
and Zamboanga ports.
PPA eyes mandatory use of Batangas port by PEZA Calabarzon locators
THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is teaming
up with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in a bid to place Batangas
Port in the international container industry radar.
As part of its marketing efforts, the team is looking at negotiating
with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) for the
mandatory use of the port among its Calabarzon locators.
“We will really push for the full utilization of the
port particularly now that the needed cargo-handling facilities
are in place,” PPA general manager Atty. Oscar Sevilla
told PortCalls.
“Hopefully, once we get the nod of (PEZA) locators,
we will be able to lure back APL (American President Lines)
and other international carriers to have direct calls in Batangas,”
Sevilla said.
APL dropped Batangas from its ports of call a few years ago
due to low cargo volume and inadequate cargo-handling facilities.
Now, Batangas port handles predominantly car shipments. Vessel
calls are down to once every two weeks.
Last month, additional cargo-handling equipment were installed,
including two quay cranes, four rubber-tired gantries and
a patrol boat. In addition, the BOC has installed two non-intrusive
scanners.
Electronic transactions will also begin in the first quarter.
Meanwhile, Asian Terminals, Inc’s special permit to
operate Batangas port has been extended with the PPA expecting
a long legal battle involving its expropriation case with
Batangas land owners.
ATI is the remaining eligible bidder for the port’s
25-year management and operation contract after International
Container Terminal Services, Inc said it would much rather
concentrate on its Bauang operations.
MALACAÑANG is backing the creation
of a single maritime agency, with President Gloria Macapaga-Arroyo
ordering the maritime sector to lobby for the establishment
of such an agency.
“I think the Cabinet Secretaries will not disagree anymore
this time because President Arroyo herself gave her approval,”
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chair Feliciano Salonga said,
adding that the sector is now preparing the ground work for
its lobbying gameplan.
The creation, he said, would mean reorganization at the Department
of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and its agencies,
including the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) and the
Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).
Efforts to create a Department of Maritime Affairs under President
Estrada’s term were clipped by disagreement among Cabinet
Secretaries.
Salonga explained there was much disapproval over a separate
agency for fear that the powers of the DOTC will be diluted.
Marina presently regulates the shipping industry and the PPA,
the ports.
As it is, Marina’s powers are already limited since
it shares training and regulation of seafarers with some agencies
of the Department of Labor and Employment and with the Commission
on Higher Education.
In 2006, the committees on government reorganization and on
transportation at the House of Representatives filed measures
offering maritime industry reforms. All were shelved as a
result of the May 2007 elections. These include House Bill
622, which seeks to institute a Maritime Code of the Philippines
and to create the Philippine Maritime Commission, an attached
agency of the DOTC.
The commission would serve as the lead agency for planning
and coordination of maritime transportation, and supervision
of maritime business and ocean affairs.
House Bills 883 and 2197, on the other hand, sought to create
a Department of Maritime Affairs tasked to establish and administer
integrated programs relative to the promotion, development
and regulation of ports, shipping, shipbuilding and seafaring
industries; promotion of maritime safety; protection of marine
environment and resources; and training and development of
the country’s seafarers and merchant marines.
“The creation emphasizes the urgent need to create a
separate department that will formulate a comprehensive, sound
and up-to-date policy that will govern the administration
of the country’s maritime affairs,” according
to the bills.
SBMA: ICTSI bid for second Subic container terminal welcome
INTERNATIONAL Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI), the
country’s largest port operator, is welcome to bid for
the Subic Freeport’s New Container Terminal 2 (NCT-2),
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman Feliciano
Salonga said.
ICTSI, through subsidiary Subic Bay International Terminal
Corp., already won the contract to operate New Container Terminal-1
(NCT 1), which will commence operations within the first quarter
of 2008.
If the company wins the NCT-2 contract — up for grabs
via international bidding — the Razon-controlled firm
will have exclusive control of cargo handling operations in
the entire Subic freeport.
NCT-1 was not bid out since the SBMA applied the Swiss challenge
on the deal.
The terms of reference for the privatization of NCT-2 is now
being finalized.
Construction of the 300,000 TEU-capacity NCT-2 will be completed
in March, the same time that SBMA will commence the bidding
procedure.
NCT-1 has the same capacity as NCT-2.
SBMA has been improving the Subic facilities in order to accept
more cargo. Current volumes, however, are still thin compared
to ports in Manila.
SBMA’s Seaport Department records showed there were
1,101 vessels which docked at Subic Bay during the first three
quarters of last year.
In 2006, the Port of Subic handled 34,601 TEUs, with imports
consisting of 17,109 TEUs.
Based on projections, there will be a 200% increase in container
traffic up to 150,000 TEUs once the two new container terminals
become fully operational.
ICTSI, in its earlier disclosure, said it will spend some
P473 million for NCT-1, mainly for the construction of an
administration office, motor pool/engineering office, truck
holding area, refueling station, and field office.
It said that when the terminal’s volume reached 250,000
TEUs per year, the terminal should have four rubber-tired
gantry cranes, 22 prime movers, five forklifts, three-yard
vehicles, and three company vehicles.
At the moment, SBMA owns two quay cranes for use at the terminal.
“If the actual volume at the NCT-1 will require more
investment in cargo-handling equipment and other facilities,
SBITC will be prepared to make such investment. This expenditure
for capacity development is separate from fixed fees and variable
fee payments to SBMA,” SBITC said.
ASIA Pacific Express Corp (APEX) recently celebrated its
10th anniversary at the Shangri-la Hotel in Makati City. The
event, which coincided with the company Christmas party, was
attended by Jae J. Jang, president of the Korean Chamber of
Commerce of the Philippines, and Atty Pedro Vicente Mendoza,
executive director of the Philippine Shippers’ Bureau.
Both were guest speakers, with Atty Mendoza citing the company’s
outstanding performance for the past ten years.
APEX employees gave a dance performance to entertain guests.
Loyalty awardees were given plaques and cash awards.
The event also marked another milestone as the company officially
announced its ISO accreditation for Quality Management Systems
9001:2000 and Environmental Management Systems 14001:2004.
APEX president Edward Chang addresses
guests
while group photo shows guest speaker Philippine Shippers
Bureau executive
director Atty Pete Mendoza (seated, fourth from right) with
company officers and staff. (photo below)
THE government’s shortsighted approach to developing
the maritime industry is keeping the country’s ship
registry from attracting more international carriers.
Atty. Jose Adolfo Cruz, fleet manager of United Philippine
Lines Inc, said the Philippines is losing out to developing
countries in the region such as Vietnam since authorities
have no long-term goals on how to make the country a maritime
destination.
“Lead agencies are not doing anything to investigate
why the Philippines is not a destination for firms and there
is no official government position. The Philippines needs
long-term solutions and not short-term goals,” he said.
“The Philippine should study or investigate the reasons
why we are slowly losing out to Vietnam or to any other nation
to lay down the necessary measures to compete,” Cruz
added.
“If we are only making measures without determining
the causes, then we will continue to be shunned by foreign
investors. The Philippines should have a basis in making these
efforts,” Cruz explained.
He said authorities’ efforts to promote the Philippine
ship registry and other maritime development programs depend
on personalities that keep changing with each administration.
Earlier, the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) said it
was pushing for foreign shipping firms, through their ship
management agencies, to be allowed to set up their own businesses
here and for their vessels to be registered under the Philippine
flag.
The proposal also provides for the establishment of register
offices in other countries, especially shipowning ones such
as the United Kingdom and Greece, to facilitate, control and
enforce compliance of ships flying the flag.
The proposal is on top of the easing of the country’s
bareboat chartering law in 2004. The latter development, which
has removed stringent ship owning rules and other requirements,
has been deemed ineffective.
In the past two years, there have been no improvements in
the country’s ship registry.
The number of Philippine-registered vessel has remained stagnant
at 168 ships, from about 400 in the 1980s and early 1990s.
NORTH Harbor truckers have decided to temporarily defer implementation
of their proposed 16% rate increase, subjecting the petition
to further discussion with the Philippine Liner and Shipper
Association (PLSA).
The reprieve may, however, be short lived with the truckers
setting the deadline for the increase within the month.
The Allied Transport Group, WGA Truckers Association and the
Integrated North Harbor Truckers Association (INHTA), collectively
known as North Harbor Trucking Association, said they decided
to stall the increase that should have been enforced as early
as New Year’s Day to make way for the meeting with PLSA
set for tomorrow (Jan. 8).
Still, PortCalls sources claim some truckers have already
implemented the 16% rate increase on their in-house accounts.
Other operators are expected to follow suit if talks with
PLSA drags, they said.
At the meeting, truckers expect PLSA to offer reasons why
they think the increase is untimely and unjustified. A win-win
solution to mitigate the impact of the increase is also being
eyed.
In its petition, the truckers said the bunker surcharge has
risen 28% in the past four months, the latest being the 17%
hike implemented just last month.
Truckers are asking for an P817.77 increase in rate per 20-foot
container from P5,100 to P5,917.77 per trip of 40 km round
trip to and from Metro Manila.
The truckers said the rate increase covers only adjustments
in direct cost such as fuel and spare parts, and not indirect
expenses like interest and depreciation to help minimize its
effects on shippers.
“One year and seven months after the last increase,
and with the interminable rising costs of diesel fuel and
other direct cost expenses, the P5,100 rate can no longer
support daily operations as evident from some firms already
closing shop,” they said.
“Our group will also not allow both the PLSA and SCMAP
(Supply Chain Management Association of the Philippines) to
prolong negotiations like they did in our last petition…
We believe that delays will result in inefficiency and a domino
effect such as delays in deliveries of raw materials, delays
in the manufacturing process and ultimately delays in all
aspects of commercial activities,” they said.
In May 2006, INHTA, SCMAP and PLSA agreed to implement an
18% increase in trucking rates, 12% lower than the 30% increase
petitioned by the group. — Christopher Paringit
