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Four more shipping lines/agents have signed up with Container Ledger Account (CLA)
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CLA is an online system that simplifies and speeds up container deposit refund
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Macro Ocean Philippines, Inc., Eagle Express Lines, Inc./Regional Container Lines, Southern Star Agencia Maritime, Inc./Namsung Shipping Co. Ltd., and OOCL Philippines, Inc. joined 10 others already signed up with the system
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67 consignees and freight forwarders, and 128 customs brokers, container freight station and warehouse operators are also part of the the system
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CLA is an alternative and voluntary solution to simplify container deposit management between the shipping line and consignee/agent
Container deposit management solution, Container Ledger Account (CLA), has signed up four more shipping lines/agents.
Macro Ocean Philippines, Inc., Eagle Express Lines, Inc./Regional Container Lines, Southern Star Agencia Maritime, Inc./Namsung Shipping Co. Ltd., and OOCL Philippines, Inc. joined 10 others already part of the online system which aims to simplify and speed up container deposit refund.
The other shipping line participants are CLA Shipping, BLPL Singapore, CK Line, Concorde Container Line, Federated Cargo Line, Lancer Container Lines, MBF Carpenters Shipping, Oceanus Container Lines, and Samudera Shipping Line.
Aside from sea carriers, 67 consignees and freight forwarders, and 128 customs brokers, container freight station and warehouse operators are CLA subscribers.
CLA is an alternative and voluntary solution to simplify container deposit management between the shipping line and consignee/agent. The system began pilot-testing in the Philippines in December 2021.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) last June endorsed CLA and urged members of the Association of International Shipping Lines (AISL) to join it as an alternative to address the longstanding issue on container deposits. AISL has 36 global container liners calling Philippine ports.
Former Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said CLA will “drastically reduce procedures, time, and cost as well as improve the competitiveness of SMEs [small and medium enterprises].”
AISL earlier tapped Malaysia-based D& D Control (M) Sdn Bhd to offer a solution to the long-standing issue of the return of container deposits in the Philippines.
CLA has been implemented since 2018 in Malaysia, which also used to have problems with the return of container deposits. CLA is now being used by 44 shipping lines and over 2,000 consignees and agents in 14 ports in Malaysia. Several of those shipping lines and shipping agents are also operating in the Philippines.
In the Philippines, D& D has set up Container Ledger Account Phils., Inc. and now has a physical office in Manila.
The return of container deposits is one of the long-standing issues in the industry and has been the subject of various meetings and discussions. The government earlier tried to address the issue through a joint administrative order on local charges imposed by international shipping lines, but the order did not materialize. Last January, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading House Bill No. 10575 that seeks to strengthen government agencies’ oversight functions over the shipping charges imposed by international shipping lines operating in the Philippines. The bill failed to pass before the change in Congress this July. – Roumina Pablo
