Cebu foreign cargo-handling rate up 5% from Oct 1

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Cebu International Port. Photo courtesy of port cargo-handling operator Oriental Port and Allied Services Corporation.
  • Cebu International Port will implement a 5% increase in foreign cargo-handling charges on October 1, 2021
  • The hike is the second tranche of the 10% across-the-board increase in foreign cargo-handling tariff at CIP
  • The implementation was deferred from October 19, 2020 to ease COVID-19’s impact on the business sector

Cebu International Port (CIP) will implement a 5% increase in cargo-handling charges for foreign cargoes on October 1, 2021, Cebu Port Authority (CPA) general manager Leonilo Miole confirmed to PortCalls in a text message.

The hike comes after a year’s delay—from Oct 19, 2020—meant to ease adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the business sector and ultimately benefit the public, Miole said.

READ: Cebu port defers for a year hike in cargo-handling fees

The 5% increase is the second tranche of the 10% across-the-board hike in foreign cargo-handling tariff—excluding cement, iron, and steel products—under CPA Memorandum Circular No. 12-2019 issued in 2019. The first tranche was implemented in October 2019.

MC 12-2019 covers stevedoring and arrastre for containerized and non-containerized cargoes, special services, ancillary services, standby services, and equipment rental. The circular also provides the arrastre rate for high-weighing containers and charges for stripping onboard the vessel.

Aside from the deferment, CPA in May 2020 suspended payment of berthing and anchorage fees for domestic vessels on hold departure, as well as fees/rentals for spaces inside passenger terminal buildings.

Operated by Oriental Port and Allied Services Corporation, CIP handles foreign cargoes at Cebu port.

CIP in 2020 handled 6.1 million metric tons, 5.6% more than the previous year’s 5.8 million MT. Container traffic was, however, down 2.1% to 463,102 twenty-foot equivalent units in 2020 from 473,186 TEUs in 2019. – Roumina Pablo