Port charges will continue to be waived off.

Subject: Compliance of DGS Order No. 11 of 2020 dated 22.04.2020-reg.

As you are aware, the Ministry of Home Affairs vides its Order No. 40-3/2020-DM-I(A) dated 14th April 2020 ordered that the lockdown measures put in place vide its Order dated 24.03.2020 read with its amendments, will continue to remain in force up-to 03.05.2020. However, the operation of seaports for cargo movement remained exempted from the lockdown to ensure the smooth operation of shipping activities.

As you are aware, the Ministry of Shipping, Govt. of India vide its letters no. PD140331412020-PDVII dated 21st April 2020 and PD- 143 0O1412O2O-PD VII dated 3lst March 2020 issued comprehensive directions to the major ports to remit amongst other storage charges, lease rentals, penal charges, demurrages, detention charges, dwell time charges, anchorage charges, penal berth hire charges, performance-related penalties, etc. levied on the port users including the shipping lines. The Ministry has also advised the ports to provide additional land to the port users without any charges, rentals, and fees.

In order to ensure that the benefits extended by the Ministry through major ports are passed on to the end-users, the Directorate vide its Order No. 11 of 2020 dated 22.04.2020, has extended its earlier order No. 07 of 2020 dated 29.03.2020, advising the shipping lines on noncharging of container detention charges on import and export shipments. Further, it has also modified its earlier Order No. 8 of 2020 dated 31.03.2020 advising that the shipping companies or carriers (and their agents by whatever name called) shall not charge, levy or recover any penal charges, demurrage’ ground rent, storage charges in the port, detention charges, dwell time charges, additional anchorage charges, penal berth hire charges, vessel demurrage or any performance-related penalties on cargo owners/consignees of non-containerized cargo (i.e. bulk, breakbulk & liquid cargo) whether LCL or not due to delay in berthing, loading/unloading operations or evacuation/arrival of cargo. The advisory issued vide order no. 11 of 2020 made applicable from 22nd March to 03rd May 2020.

Further, the port authorities have been requested to ensure strict implementation of the advisory for extending the benefits on the matters covered under said DGS orders to the stakeholders concerned about the shipping industry, without any confusion.

The Government is of the considered opinion that the benefits need to be passed on the EXIM trade which is suffering because of the closure of factories, lack of truckvdrivers& other bottlenecks created by the lockdown.

Even after the issue of the above orders, this Directorate is receiving a large number of complaints from the stakeholders stating that the benefits mentioned in the above advisory are not being extended to them by the Shipping Lines. In this regard, it is requested to compile data of your member shipping lines, who are complying with the DGS order 11 of 2020 dated 22.04.2020. I shall be grateful if the above information is sent to us by tomorrow at 12 PM.

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