Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) continues to receive enquiries from members about storage and dehire detention fees for import sea freight consignments targeted for Container Examination Facility (CEF) processing.
As a part of the FTA / Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) submission to the Federal Government's Inquiry into Freight & Supply Chain Priorities, we have recommended that CEF targeted containers have storage arrangements prescribed in Melbourne, Brisbane and Fremantle ports to meet the benchmark established in Sydney under the Port Botany Landside Improvement Strategy (PBLIS) Mandatory Standards. Specifically, PBLIS clause 17 mandates that stevedores must provide free storage for the day the container is returned from the CEF and for the next two days after that.
While the ABF and PBLIS have introduced a level of relief against stevedores fees for CEF targeted containers, to date there are no similar arrangements in place with shipping lines. Whether or not reporting has been completed within prescribed timelines, shipping lines commonly charge a fee if containers are not dehired (returned) to an empty container park within agreed terms. FTA/APSA has brought this matter to the attention of the Inquiry seeking a fairer and more reasonable operational outcome allowing extended free container dehire periods.
In the interim, we have prepared the attached Fact Sheet outlining the current statutory and operational procedures for dealing with CEF targeted containers.
Paul Zalai – FTA / APSA