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The Philippine Ports Authority canceled COVID-19 port fee discounts for certain vessels
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Memorandum Order 021-2023 ends reduced port charges for foreign ships at Bataan’s Capinpin port in used for crew change
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Memorandum Order 022-2023 stops the 50% waste reception fee discount for certain motor bancas and passenger/cargo vessels
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The cancellations follow the lifting of the COVID-19 public health emergency via Proclamation No. 297 in July
The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) revoked two orders providing discounts on port charges to certain vessels granted during the state of public health emergency because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
PPA Memorandum Order (MO) No. 021-2023, dated November 5, revokes PPA Administrative Order (AO) No. 10-2020, which lowered port charges for foreign ships at Capinpin port in Orion, Bataan, used for crew change. It comes after the lifting of the public health emergency throughout the Philippines due to COVID-19, as proclaimed in July through Proclamation No. 297.
In 2020, Capinpin port became one of PPA’s crew change hubs to facilitate the speedy and safe travel of seafarers and change of crew during the pandemic. PPA AO 10-2020 granted a 50% reduction in port charges, including port dues, dockage-at-anchorage, dockage-at-berth, and lay-up fees to foreign vessels sailing to Capinpin port for crew change.
READ: Capinpin port fees cut in half for ships undertaking crew change
With the revocation of AO 10-2020, the PPA Port Management Office (PMO)-Bataan/Aurora, which has jurisdiction over Capinpin port, will stop providing the reduction on port charges.
Another order, PPA MO 022-2023 canceled AO 09-2021, which had given a 50% discount on waste reception fees for motor bancas and passenger/cargo vessels with a capacity of more than 15 passengers and up to 35 gross tonnage (GT) during the national emergency due to COVID-19. The aim was to mitigate the pandemic’s impact on the shipping industry.
READ: PPA cuts by 50% waste reception fee of motor bancas, domestic ships
MO 22-2023 specified that all PPA PMOs should have already stopped granting the waste reception fee discount for motor bancas and passenger/cargo vessels with a capacity of more than 15 passengers and up to 35 GT operating in domestic trade at all PPA-controlled ports.
