| |
Bangladesh:Ocean freight up by $150 and $300 from January |
|
2004-11-29
|
|
 |
This is bad news for exporters as their Europe bound consignment next year will attract higher freight charges between $150 and $300 respectively.
Effective January 1, the increase was announced at the India-Pakistan-Bangladesh-Ceylon (IPBC) Conference, a club of main line operators (MLOs), informing the shippers here about the general rate of increase (GRI) and it will be applicable for all shipping lines.
Showing scant regrd for international norms, this, the forth hike in twelve months by the MLOs will raise the bar for a 20-foot container to reach $1700 to $1800 in freight charges at the new rates.
Exporters who have been battling various domestic issues have been regularly burdened with such hikes in ocean freight even as Europe, leads as the largest buyer of Bangladesh-made readymade garments, garment exporters.
Under the prevailing circumstances, the freight increase will adversely affect the textile exports undoubtedly, said exporters.
"What is surprising is that the government has yet to take any move to rationalise the ocean freight," a leading garment exporter said.
"If this trend continues, the increased shipping rate will make our export uncompetitive. The
European importers will be forced to look for other sources where the shipping rate is low," he pointed out.
Chairman of the Bangladesh Ocean Going Ship Owners Association (BOGSOA) Sayeed Hossain Chowdhury said the government should intervene in the situation.
"In Pakistan and India, the MLOs cannot increase freight without consulting the trade bodies and the government. And, very often, the governments intervene in this kind of situation," the BOGSOA chairman said.
He said the ''through freights'' from Karachi and Indian ports are cheaper because of the intervention of the governments and the trade bodies.
"Freights to US and EU-bound consignments from India and Pakistan are at least 6-7 per cent cheaper than those from Bangladesh ports," he claimed.
In the past sources said that the Shippers'' Council had notified the government about the unprecedented hike in the sea freight, but the government remained unmoved. |
|
|
|
|
|
浙公网安33010602010414
