[E-PORTS NEWS] 62 Shipping Companies Voluntarily Lowered Port Operation Costs

 Huang Guansheng, director of the State Port Administration Office, said on July 3 that the port fee reduction work had achieved positive results. 62 shipping companies voluntarily announced to lower port operation costs, which are 5% to 10% lower than before.

 According to Huang Guansheng, in order to promote the reduction of compliance costs in the import and export sectors, a leading group for reducing port charges was set up last year. The group is led by the Ministry of Finance and jointly participated by the General Administration of Customs, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Commerce and the State Administration of Market Regulation with the aim to coordinate and promote the reduction of port charges and has achieved positive results.

 The first is to promote the publicity of import and export charges and to implement marked prices for port fees.

 The second is to reduce charge items and lower some charging standards set or guided by the government. The charge items for port operations have been reduced from 15 to 11. Starting from April 1 this year, the exchange rate standards for cargo dues and security charges for port facilities have been lowered by 15% and 20% respectively.

 The third is to investigate and deal with all kinds of illegal charges. Till now, 8 cases of illegal charges in port and shipping sectors have been publicly exposed.

 The fourth is to actively guide relevant service-oriented enterprises to reduce charges. Since March 20 this year, 62 shipping companies including COSCO Shipping and Maersk have voluntarily announced to lower the port operation costs, which are 5% to 10% lower than before.

 Huang Guansheng pointed out that in the next stage, supervision and inspection will be strengthened. Before the end of September 2019, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Commerce will guide and urge major international liner shipping companies and freight forwarders to lower charges to enhance the sense of acquisition of import and export enterprises. Before the end of September 2019, the State Administration of Market Regulation will take the lead in carrying out special supervision of import and export charges, investigate and punish illegal charges according to relevant laws and regulations, and investigate the port operation and service units and enterprises suspected of monopoly.

 62家船公司主动下调码头操作费等费用  

 国家口岸管理办公室主任黄冠胜7月3日表示，口岸降费工作取得了积极成效。62家船公司主动公示下调码头操作费等一系列的费用，较之前降低了5%到10%。  

 黄冠胜称，为推动降低进出口环节的合规成本，去年，成立了财政部牵头、海关总署、国家发改委、交通运输部、商务部、国家市场监管总局共同参与的清理口岸收费工作领导小组，统筹推进口岸降费工作，取得了积极成效。  

 一是推进进出口环节收费公示，实行口岸收费明码标价。  

 二是压减收费项目，降低部分政府定价、政府指导价的收费标准。港口经营服务型收费项目，由15项压减到11项。今年4月1日起，货物港务费、港口设施保安费的汇率标准分别下调了15%和20%。   

 三是依法查处各类违规违法的收费行为，公开曝光了8起港口航运环节违规收费的案件。  

 四是积极引导相关经营服务型的企业降低收费。今年3月20日起，中远海运、马士基等62家船公司主动公示下调码头操作费等一系列的费用，较之前降低了5%到10%。  

 黄冠胜指出，下一阶段，继续加大监督检查力度，2019年9月底前，交通运输部、商务部对主要国际班轮运输公司、国际货代公司进行引导督促，切实落实降费措施，增强进出口企业的获得感。2019年9月底前，国家市场监督管理总局牵头开展进出口环节收费的专项督察，依法依规查处违规收费行为，对涉嫌垄断的口岸经营服务性单位和企业进行调查。