An association of port users has urged the customs authority to increase transparency of port fees and accelerate the processing of refund payments.
The group cited the need for shipping lines and cargo operators to disclose their charges and freight rates to customs and trade authorities in order to protect users.
It proposes that the standardized fee nomenclature, ceilings, and average freight rates mandated by the draft order be posted on a publicly accessible portal managed by customs and trade.
Additionally, the association calls for shortening the container deposit refund window from the proposed fifteen days to five to seven banking days.
The current period is viewed as a prolonged capital lock‑up for small and medium importers who post deposits on a per‑shipment basis.
Integration of refund processing with an automated container monitoring system would trigger refunds automatically once a container is confirmed returned.
The draft order should also establish a fixed minimum free period before demurrage or detention charges begin, rather than leaving that provision to negotiation between shipping lines and importers.
Current penalty schedules omit certain violations, such as indirect liens and wrongful withholding of deposit refunds, limiting the ability to enforce compliance.
A flat daily penalty may be ineffective against the revenue potential of delays, so the proposal recommends expanding the penalty matrix, adding escalating penalties for repeat violations, and indexing amounts periodically.
The group stresses that port users should have direct access to the container monitoring system and play an active role in implementing the order.
A dedicated complaints desk or hotline is also suggested to resolve disputes between users and operators.
These recommendations aim to turn the draft order’s transparency and accountability clauses into practical, enforceable measures that benefit all port stakeholders.
