Petition No. P5-04: APL Files for Exemptions from Controlled Carrier Regulations
America President Line, Ltd. and APL Co. Pte. Ltd. filed a petition with the FMC
requesting exemption from US Shipping Act regulations that require controlled
carriers to file new or reduced rates in their tariffs on 30 days notice.
APL is not currently classified as a controlled carrier, but anticipates
the FMC will soon take this step. Singapore’s state owned investment company,
Temasek Holding, is in the process of increasing its shareholding in APL
parent company, Neptune Orient Lines, to gain majority control. NOL was
originally started as Singapore’s national shipping line in 1968, and it
acquired US-based APL in 1997. Temasek launched an unsolicited bid in
August to purchase outstanding shares of NOL, and by Sept. 30 it had
increased its stake in the company from under 30 percent to 68.64 percent.
Temasek controls seven of Singapore’s ten largest public companies,
including Singapore Airlines.
The FMC granted similar petitions earlier this year in April to three
major Chinese controlled carriers. China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO),
China Shipping Container Lines Co., Ltd., and SINOTRANS Container Lines Co.,
Ltd. are now exempt from the 30 day notice requirement for new and reduced
rates, as required of controlled carriers by Section 9 of the Shipping Act,
but the carriers still must file all tariff amendments that increase costs
to shippers 30 days in advance. APL’s
Petition P5-04 was filed Sept. 23, 2004.Comments are due by October 12, 2004.
FMC Still Experiencing SERVCON System Troubles
WTSA Carriers Amend Bunker and Currency Surcharges
The Westbound Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (WTSA), whose member carriers serve
the trade from the US to East Asia, recently announced the following amendments
to Bunker Adjustment Factors (BAF) and Currency Adjustment Factors (CAF)
effective: October 1 thru Dec. 31, 2004
| Bunker (BAF) | Currency (CAF) | |
| US$ 220 per 20′ container | Japan 49% | |
| US$ 275 per 40’/45′ container | Taiwan 4% | |
| US$ 14 per WM | Singapore 8% |
Revisions to BAF, CAF and other surcharges for transportation services are
published in the FMC tariffs of the WTSA member carriers, and shown on
its website: www.wtsacarriers.org.
The 13 members of WTSA are: American
President Lines, China Shipping Container Lines, COSCO Container Lines,
Evergreen Marine Corp., Hanjin Shipping, Hapag-Lloyd Container Line,
Hyundai Merchant Marine, ‘K’ Line, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, NYK Line, OOCL,
P&O Nedlloyd, and Yang Ming Marine.
TACA Carriers Implement General Rate Increase and Increase Surcharges
The Trans-Atlantic Conference Agreement (TACA), whose member carriers serve
the trade between the USA and North Europe, United Kingdom and Ireland,
Scandinavia and Baltic Ports, have implemented a previously announced General
Rate Increase (GRI) to all tariff rates effective October 1, 2004.
This is the second GRI for TACA this year. TACA’s Currency Adjustment
Factor (CAF) will remain at seven percent (7%) through November 15, 2004,
and its Bunker Adjustment Factor (BAF) remains at the following levels:
General Rate Increases (GRI), effective October 1, 2004:
| Westbound from N. Europe to USA | Eastbound from USA to N.Europe | |
| US$ 240 per 20ft container | US$ 240 per 20ft container | |
| US$ 300 per 40/45ft container | US$ 300 per 40/45ft container | |
| US$ 15 per W/M | US$ 15 per W/M |
Bunker Adjustment Factor (BAF), effective September 16 through November 15, 2004, traffic to/from and via:
| US Atlantic/Gulf Coast Ports | US Pacific Coast Ports | |
| US$ 160 per 20ft container | US$ 240 per 20ft container | |
| US$ 320 per 40/45ft container | US$ 480 per 40/45ft container | |
| US$ 16 per W/M | US$ 24 per W/M |
TACA members are Atlantic Container Line, Hapag-Lloyd Container Line,
Mediterranean Shipping Co., Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) Line, Orient
Overseas Container Line, and P&O Nedlloyd Limited. Revisions to
surcharges for transportation services are published in TACA’s
relevant FMC tariffs and on its website:
www.tacaconf.com.
TSA Carriers Increase Bunker & Extend Peak Season Surcharge (PSS)
The Carrier members of the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (TSA), serving
the East Asia/USA trade lane have recently filed or announced increases to
Bunker Adjustment Factors (BAF), and amendments to Peak Season Surcharges
(PSS). The PSS was scheduled to expire on October 31, 2004; however, TSA
has announced the PSS will be “extended through November 30, 2004 for U.S.
East Coast shipments moving all-water via Panama Canal.” Other carriers
serving the Asia/USA trade lane have also extended their Peak Season
Surcharges, and in some cases extended their PSS through November 30
for all USA destinations, not just US East Coast ports. Details announced
by TSA are as follows:
| Bunker Adjustment Factor (BAF): | Peak Season Surcharge (PSS): | |
| Effective October 1 thru Dec. 31, 2004 | Valid Thru October 31, 2004 for US West Coast and IPI | |
| Valid Thru November 30, 2004 for All Water East Coast |
| US$ 6 per W/M (LTL) | US$ 300 per 20′ container | |
| US$ 205 per 20′ container | US$ 400 per 40′ container | |
| US$ 275 per 40′ container | US$ 450 per high cube container | |
| US$ 310 per high cube container | US$ 505 per 45′ container | |
| US$ 345 per 45′ container |
Revisions to surcharges are published in FMC tariffs of TSA
member carriers and on its website:
www.tsacarriers.org.
TSA Member Carriers are: American President Lines, CMA-CGM,
COSCO Container Lines Ltd., Evergreen Marine Corp., Hanjin Shipping,
Hapag-Lloyd Container Line, Hyundai Merchant Marine,
‘K’ Line, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, NYK Line; OOCL, P&O Nedlloyd,
and Yangming Marine. FMC regulations require these amendments
to surcharges to be filed in ocean carrier or NVOCC tariffs
at least 30 days before the effective dates.