- Felixstowe Port is finding new ways to sink into the mire.
- Surely they should be looking to the carriers to cover these extra costs?
- The sinkhole is not too bad.
The port of Felixstowe is finding new ways to slide deeper into the muck, first with extra taxes on import containers to balance rising energy costs, which enraged importers, and then with a sinkhole appearing at Terminal 6 as reported by The Loadstar.
Energy adjustment charge
The decision by the UK port to impose an ‘energy adjustment charge’ of £11.25 ($14.73) on all laden import containers passing through the port on May 1 enraged some in the maritime community.
The move is in response to rising energy prices and the government’s elimination of an 80% lower tariff on so-called red diesel used in off-road vehicles and machinery on April 1st.
“I understand they need to recoup some of these costs,” a Felixstowe-based forwarder explained, “but the shippers are getting slapped again.” “Shouldn’t they be looking to the carriers to cover these additional costs?”
“Every day, I see how much money the carriers make, and they just don’t know what to do with it,” he added. “Why can’t they pay this from the stupidly exorbitant charges they charge us?” he said.
Rapid fix
Meanwhile, a first evaluation of the sinkhole that emerged on Trinity Terminal’s quay is that it “should be a rapid fix” with minimal inconvenience.
The cavity on the berth at Terminal 6 of the port’s main facility did not appear to be related to the dredging activities to deepen the sea beside, according to a Felixstowe-based source.
“The sinkhole isn’t that serious,” he explained, “the port is simply waiting for civil engineers to advise, but it should be a quick remedy.”
A port official told The Loadstar earlier this week that its engineer consultants were looking into the source of the sinkhole, but wouldn’t go into detail.
If the simple repair is confirmed, it will come as a tremendous relief to Hutchison, whose port recently improved its quayside and landside performance, enabling the restoration of a direct call on the 2M Alliance AE7/Condor Asia loop this month.
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Source: The Loadstar
